Transparency in party funding has improved
Published: Friday, Aug 30th 2024, 09:10
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With total income of over nine million francs in 2023, the SP received the most party funding. This is a third more than the second-placed SVP and more than twice as much as the FDP. This is according to a report by the Swiss Federal Audit Office on party funding in 2023.
According to the third and final report published by the Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) on Friday, the SVP received a total of around CHF 5.89 million, while the third-placed FDP received CHF 4.2 million. At the bottom of the ranking of the larger parties are the centrists, followed by the Greens and the Green Liberals.
According to the SFAO, the transparency of party funding has improved. However, due diligence in the clarification of funds still needs to be strengthened. The campaign budgets for the federal elections in October were not included in this analysis. The FDP and SVP had the highest budgets at the time.
Large differences in membership fees
Party income is broken down into various categories. Monetary contributions, i.e. donations, are the largest source of income for the five largest parties. In addition, there is financing from the sale of goods and services, membership and mandate contributions, non-monetary donations and income from events.
The transparency guardian of political financing wrote that there are considerable differences, ranging from zero to two million francs, particularly in the parties' membership fees. These contributions are regulated within the parties. The SP is at the top with contributions of up to two million francs, ahead of the EPP, the Greens and the GLP. The SVP ranks at the bottom of the podium.
Mandate contributions, on the other hand, are not required by all parties or paid to the national party. Here too, the level of contributions varies. According to the SFAO, parliamentary party contributions do not form part of the disclosure of party financing.
The largest single party donation came from the Sika heiress, who transferred one million francs to the Greens, but half of this went to the cantonal sections. The "Friends of the FDP, FDP.Die Liberalen" association (around CHF 700,000) and the Foundation for Civic Politics, Swiss People's Party (SVP), with around CHF 600,000, ranked second and third in terms of monetary donations.
SFAO sees itself as only "conditionally suitable"
The SFAO has been given the legal mandate to audit party financing in its dual role of transparency in political financing and as the supreme financial supervisory body, it said at a media conference last Wednesday. Access to and contact with parliament is central to its role as the supreme financial supervisory body. Tasks in the area of political financing could put a strain on good cooperation. The SFAO was therefore only suitable for this task to a limited extent. Its responsibilities would have to be clarified as part of an evaluation led by the Federal Office of Justice.
Since last year, parties represented in parliament have had to disclose contributions of CHF 15,000 or more per capita per year to the SFAO. The same applies to contributions from elected representatives. It must be clear from whom the contribution comes.
The new federal law for more transparency in political financing makes an important contribution to the fight against corruption. According to the latest report by the international anti-corruption body Greco in May, Switzerland has made progress in the fight against corruption. There is room for improvement in some areas.
©Keystone/SDA
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