Summary
Campaigning and spending by third parties may be regulated, in particular to ensure transparency and accountability.
Obligations
Election Parts
Criteria
- There were limits imposed on campaign expenditures
- Reasonable limitations were imposed on private contributions
- There were clear rules and regulations regarding the acceptable sources of financial donations
- The funding received by a political party and/or candidate was disclosed in regular reports
- There was a balanced and transparent system for political party financing
Quotes
- Third parties should be free to fundraise and express views on political issues as a means of free expression, and their activity should not be unconditionally prohibited. However, it is important that some forms of regulation, with comparable obligations and restrictions as apply to parties and party candidates, be extended to third parties that are involved in the campaign, to ensure transparency and accountability. Third parties should be subjected to similar rules on donations and spending as political parties to avoid situations where third parties can be used to circumvent campaign finance regulations.
- In order to avoid the creation of loopholes through which unlimited funding can be channeled and financial transactions can be veiled, laws should set proportionate and reasonable limits to the amount that third parties can spend on promoting candidates or parties, ideally by applying existing ceilings for donations to political parties to these actors as well.
- Third parties should be free to fundraise and express views on political issues as a means of free expression, and their activity should not be unconditionally prohibited. However, it is important that some form of regulation be extended to third parties that are involved in the campaign, to ensure transparency and accountability.