Monitoring Party Spending: CLD, Ecuador

This project was implemented ahead of the presidential elections in October and November 2002. A daily press bulletin, Campanazo (or "bell ringing"), was printed on the front pages of all main newspapers. This allowed monitors to pinpoint precisely when candidates exceeded the ceiling for campaign expenditure and to request that the national electoral tribunal (TSE) issue a prohibition against further spending.

Monitoring Party Spending: Delna, TI Latvia

A pilot project was carried out during municipal elections in 2001. Legislative proposals and advocacy work conducted by TI Latvia and the Soros Foundation contributed to changes in legislation on pre- and post-election compulsory reporting, and to the creation of a control agency. An important part of the project was the uncovering of political advertising masquerading as journalistic reporting. An awareness-raising campaign contributed to a significant reduction in the number of hidden advertising cases, especially on television during the 2002 parliamentary elections. Analyses of sources of money based on the official party information were presented to the public before the elections, uncovering many dubious sources that later were investigated by the sate agency.

Monitoring Party Spending: Poder Ciudadano, Argentina

This programme was first carried out in pilot form during the 1997 legislative elections, and was then implemented during the 1999 presidential and parliamentary elections. Poder Ciudadano monitored spending on audio-visual, graphic and street level publicity and on public rallies. The tool generated information about election campaign expenses. Almost USD 80 million were spent on audio-visual, graphic and street publicity between August and October 1999. The parties only acknowledged a total expenditure of around USD 50 million for the same period, a difference of USD 30,675,433. Between January and October 1999, the combined party campaign expenses amounted to more than USD 91 million. For further information, contact:
Laura Alonso, e-mail: laura@poderciudadano.org.ar

Monitoring Party Spending: TI Russia

TI Russia with the support of the Open Society Justice Initiative monitored the abuse of state and public resources to favour incumbents in the parliamentary campaign of late 2003 and the presidential campaign in March 2004. The project revealed widespread abuse of the state-controlled media, with official candidates receiving much more airtime and column inches than opposition candidates. The state resources used to support election campaigns exceeded official funding limits.

Monitoring Party Spending: Transparencia Internacional Costa Rica

This TI Costa Rica project began in August 2001 and was initially planned to run until the presidential elections in February 2002. It was extended for two additional months because of a second round of elections. In Costa Rica political parties are given quite high levels of state funding. The first stage of the project was to ask the presidential candidates to sign up to an agreement to release on request all financial information regarding the funding of their campaigns. Seven of the eight candidates signed.

Monitoring Party Spending: Transparency International Zimbabwe

TI Zimbabwe formed a coalition with 33 civil society partners to monitor the 2000 general elections. The project was broader than election spending, focusing on all areas of electoral fraud, manipulation and malpractice. The tool was first designed and implemented to cover the June 2000 general elections, but was extended for a further period of three years to allow for more detailed monitoring of party and campaign financing irregularities and the abuse of state resources for campaign purposes. The monitoring process was countrywide.

TI Germany: Accountability Benchmarks for Political Parties

Recent elections have seen politicians and their parties in Germany make general statements in favour of fighting corruption. TI Germany requested that they clearly express their positions and proposals with regard to corruption prevention measures so that monitoring could later take place. Standard questions about corruption were put to candidates in Munich in January-February 2002; Hamburg in August-September 2001; Berlin in August 2001; and ahead of the federal elections starting in July 2002.

TI Kenya Study on Political Party Spending

TI-Kenya's report "Paying the Public or Caring for Constituents" explores expenditure patterns by MPs. It found that the average daily expenditure of MPs is Sh 25,000, while some big spenders went through over Sh 50,000 per day on transport, handouts to constituents and support staff, donations, kickbacks and entertainment. This is more than their salary plus allowances. The question then asked is: If MPs cannot satisfy such demands from their own salaries and savings, where do they turn to? The study takes a look at one aspect of political life that appears particularly conducive to corruption in its various forms - how MPs respond to demands for individual and collective financial assistance.