6th October 2016

EconLab: Report on financing of political parties | Transparency International: Monitoring of financing of election campaigns

The latest EconLab analysis of political party financing in the Czech Republic covers financing of 32 political parties until 2015. It is based on data collected by the politickefinance.cz server and publicly accessible databases and filters.

Income from state budget accounted for 64% of political parties' incomes, donations for 22% of their income. The report says that state budget funds allocated for political parties financing amount , on average per year, to 450 mil to 500mil CZK (plus additional support in a year when elections are held). In 2015, CSSD received the greatest share (68%) of state budget funds allocated for financing of political parties. 

In 2015, 78% of the total volume of donations by natural and legal persons to the 32 political parties covered by the analysis went to 6 parties, ANO 2011, CSSD, KDU-CSL, KSCM, ODS, TOP 09, the greatest recipient in 2015 being ODS. Since 2005, the number of donators-natural persons has been rising (on average in 2005-2015, natural persons made 57% of all donators). In 2015, ANO had the largest share of donators-legal entities, but generally in 2015, the level of donations hit record low. The report says that the volume of donations is likely to increase in connection with regional and Senate elections (to be held in October 2016) and parliamentary elections (to be held in October 2017). The analysis also highlights the fact, that the total volume of debts of political parties has been rising. 

Apart from submitting anual report on financing to the Library of the Czech Parliament, Czech political parties have no transparency-related obligations set by the law, the analysis says. New legislation aiming at improving the situation is currently in the final phase of the legislative process. 

Read more details (in Czech). An article by the Hospodarske noviny daily is available here.

Monitoring of financing of election campaigns has been conducted by Transparency International Czech Republic.

Members of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic