The impact of normative regulations on financing electoral campaigns in Moldova

Policies on funding political parties Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova Policies on funding political parties States address the issue of political funding through two distinct but complementary types: regulatory policies and distributive policies (M. Pinto Duschinsky). 1. Regulatory policies are applied when there is an increased probability of incidence of dirty money and corruption on parties and pursuing the establishment of new rules to adjust the behavior of parties in the financial shpere. 2. Distributive policies involve public subsidies in various forms and seek to create a framework for maximizing the equality of political and electoral participation chances for all competitors.

Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova Rules on donations Ceilings imposed on donations from induviduals and business sector under the law on political parties are too high taking into consideration the living standards of citizens of Moldova; In the capmaign of April 5, 2009, a political party could be financed either by 4 legal entities or by 8 individuals; Ceiling for donations from legal entity was 3 140 thousands lei /  214 thousands €; Ceiling for donations from individuals was 1 570 thousands lei /  107 thousands €.

Classification of donations Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova Classification of donations Very big donations - 100 thousands lei and more ( 6,8 thousands €); Big donations – in between 50 thousands and 100 thousands lei ( 3,4 - 6,8 thousands €); Medium donations - more than 10 thousands lei – less than 50 thousands lei (680 - 3,4 mii €); Small donations - up to 10 thousands lei (up to 680 €).

Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova The structure of the collected incomes in the April 5, 2009 electoral campaign by the political parties, sorted in categories of donors Social Democrats Democratic Party Christian Democrats Liberal Democrats Communists Our Moldova Alliance European Action Liberal party Very big donations Big donations Medium donations Small donations

Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova The structure of the collected incomes in the July 29, 2009 electoral campaign by the political parties, sorted in categories of donors Democratic Party Social Democrats Liberal Democrats Christian Democrats Communists Our Moldova Alliance European Action Liberal party Very big donations Big donations Medium donations Small donations

Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova The structure of the collected incomes by the Communist Party in the electoral campaigns, sorted on categories of donors April 5, 2009 July 29, 2009 Very big donations Big donations Medium donations Small donations

Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova The structure of the collected incomes by the Social Democratic Party in the electoral campaigns, sorted on categories of donors April 5, 2009 July 29, 2009 Very big donations Big donations Medium donations Small donations

Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova The structure of the collected incomes by the Our Moldova Alliance Party in the electoral campaigns, sorted on categories of donors April 5, 2009 July 29, 2009 Very big donations Big donations Medium donations Small donations

Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova The structure of the collected incomes by the Liberal Democratic Party in the electoral campaigns, sorted on categories of donors April 5, 2009 July 29, 2009 Very big donations Big donations Medium donations Small donations

Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova The structure of the collected incomes by the European Action Movement in the electoral campaigns, sorted on categories of donors April 5, 2009 July 29, 2009 Very big donations Big donations Medium donations Small donations

Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova The structure of the collected incomes by the Democratic Party in the electoral campaigns, sorted on categories of donors April 5, 2009 July 29, 2009 Very big donations Big donations Medium donations Small donations

Evaluarea finanţării partidelor politice şi campaniilor electorale în Republica Moldova The structure of the collected incomes by the Liberal Party in the electoral campaigns, sorted on categories of donors April 5, 2009 July 29, 2009 Very big donations Big donations Medium donations Small donations

Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova The structure of the collected incomes by the Christian Democratic Party in the electoral campaigns, sorted on categories of donors April 5, 2009 July 29, 2009 Very big donations Big donations Medium donations Small donations

The number of donors in the praliamnetary electoral campaigns Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova The number of donors in the praliamnetary electoral campaigns   April 5, 2009 elctoral campaign July 29, 2009 elctoral campaign Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova ? Social Democratic Party 117 26 Our Moldova Alliance Party 81 49 Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova 28 21 Social-Political Movement “European Action” 37 35 Democratic Party of Moldova Liberal Party 7 46 Christian Democratic People’s Party of Moldova 94 90

Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova Conculsions on the incomes of political parties in the electoral campaigns Political parties from Republic of Moldova are isolated from ordinary people if we see the financial contribution as a form of political participation and even as a manefestation of freedom of expression; Parties have a very narrow base of due-payers, based on the raised amounts of funds for campaign, the lentgh of donors lists and the way the revenues are distributed by category of donors; Very big and big financial contributions from donors were 70%-80% or even more of the total amount of raised funds on the electoral campaign account.

Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova Even if some parties had a more dispersed base of due-payers and donor lists were longer than those of candidates, the main “burden” has fallen on the shoulders of a reduced number of donors; Concentraition of finacial resources in the hands of a small group of people generate suspicions about: a) the level of democracy within political parties and the non-elimination of the political corruption danger; b) the interests that are promoted by political parties and whether these interests converge with the ublic interest; c) the chances of participation in equal conditions in the decison-making process of all who lack finacial means.

Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova Duration of appearance and intervention of candidates at Moldova 1 (National TV public company) Liberal party European Action Christian Democrats Centrists’ Union Social Democrats Liberal Democrats Communist party Democratic Party Our Moldova

Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova Duration of intervention of the candidates at Radio Moldova (national public radio) Democratic Party Communist party Centrists’ Union Liberal Democrats Liberal party European Action Christian Democrats Our Moldova Social Democrats

Conclusions and recommendations Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova Conclusions and recommendations The evolution of legal framework in the field political funding was slow but the changes that were made were incremental; Changes to legislation rather reflected a compromise between the pressures from international organisations to adapt national legislation with international standards in the field of financing political parties and the local actors; Elimination of the citizens who are abroad represents a breach of such fundamental rights as freedom of expression and participation in the political and electoral process through funding;

Evaluation of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns in Moldova The ceiling for donations should be definitevly decreased in order to reflect socio-economic situation and living standards of most citizens of the country; Remove the interdiction imposed to moldovan citizens who are abroad to donate to political parties; Introducing regultions that will encourage political parties to raise funds from private sources in small amounts; Central Electoral Commission should impose a discipline for respecting terms of finacial reports related to raised funds and expenses.

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