Summary
If election campaign expenses are reimbursed by the state, the state should ensure that the system of such reimbursement is sufficiently well developed to permit elections to take place in a pluralistic climate.
Obligations
Election Parts
Quotes
- Ensure that the system of reimbursing election campaign expenses is sufficiently well developed to permit regional elections to take place in a genuinely pluralistic climate.
- It should be remembered that in the field of public funding of parties or campaigns the principle of equality of opportunity applies (“strict” or “proportional” equality).All parties represented in parliament must in all cases qualify for public funding. However, in order to ensure equality of opportunity for all the different political forces, public funding might also be extended to political formations that represent a large section of the electorate and put up candidates for election. The funding of political parties from public funds must be accompanied by supervision of the parties’ accounts by specific public bodies (e.g. the Auditor General’s Department). States should encourage a policy of financial openness on the part of political parties receiving public funding.