Summary
Special records for direct and indirect contributions to campaigns should be required.
Obligations
Election Parts
Quotes
- Special records of all direct and indirect expenditure should also be required on electoral campaigns for each political party and each candidate. Reporting on election activities should more or less follow the electoral cycle.
- Legislation should regulate in-kind contributions, such as subsidized advertising and printing, office and equipment rental. Good practice is followed if legislation defines how in-kind contributions are valued, for example based on market prices. Additionally, if an individual or legal entity forgives an outstanding debt for goods or services, this should be considered an in-kind contribution, subject to the limitations that apply to contributions and, where applicable, counting towards expenditure limits.
- The legal framework should clarify the rules governing loans extended to political parties and candidates to finance their campaigns.
- It is good practice to permit only bank loans and credit-card debts, and not loans from other corporations or from individuals.
- Legislation should regulate in-kind contributions, such as subsidized advertising and printing, office and equipment rental. Good practice is followed if legislation defines how in-kind contributions are valued, for example based on market prices. Additionally, if an individual or legal entity forgives an outstanding debt for goods or services, this should be considered an in-kind contribution, subject to the limitations that apply to contributions and, where applicable, counting towards expenditure limits.
- The legal framework should clarify the rules governing loans extended to political parties and candidates to finance their campaigns.
- It is good practice to permit only bank loans and credit-card debts, and not loans from other corporations or from individuals.
- Legislation also may allow parties and candidates to take out loans to finance (part of) their campaign or activities. It is important that rules on transparency deal consistently with such resources, as well as with credits and debts, so as to avoid the circumvention of limits on private donations and the ensuing exercise of undue influence.
- In addition to regulating financial donations, legislation should regulate in-kind support by private donors, both by individuals and by legal persons. (...) For that purpose, the monetary value of in-kind donations should be determined based on market price and should be listed in funding reports.
- States should require political parties as well as independent candidates to keep records of all direct and in-kind contributions received in a campaign period. The law should set out precisely what kind of reporting is required, including the timeframe and method of public disclosure.
- The obligations to promote the enjoyment of the right to freedom of opinion and expression require that States guarantee the transparency of all aspects of political and electoral processes, and should particularly put in place measures to: (a) Enact regulations requiring the submission of periodic financial reports by parties, political organizations and candidates, entailing full disclosure of all resources collected, in monetary form or in kind, and their origin, and all expenditure, in order to promote public scrutiny and informed voting by citizens. Political finance reporting should be comprehensive, timely, available to the public, and subject to stringent sanctions for inadequate disclosure or timeliness.