(MENAFN- Swissinfo)
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Wahlen in der Schweiz: "Nur eine Minderheit versucht, die Transparenzregeln zu umgehen" 中文
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只有少數候選人試圖規避透明度規則 中文
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“只有少数候选人试图规避透明度规则” Français
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((Seule une minorité de candidats cherche à contourner les règles de transparence)) (original) عربي
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((فقط القليل من المرشحين والمرشحات لا يحترمون قواعد الشفافية)) Share Facebook Twitter E-mail Print Copy link
The Swiss will elect a new parliament on October 22. For the first time in a national vote, the campaign will be subject to new transparency rules. Donations of over CHF15,000 ($16,960) have to be declared by September 7, as do campaign budgets in excess of CHF50,000.
Up until now, Switzerland has always lagged behind the rest of Europe when it comes to transparency of party funding.
SWI swissinfo.ch: For over a decade you have been urging Switzerland to have more transparency when it comes to funding of election campaigns. This year, for the first time in national elections, rules have been put in place. Has pressure from GRfinally paid off?
Hanne Juncher: This increased transparency is not just due to pressure from GRECO, but our efforts did play a key role. GRput out its first report on the subject with specific recommendations in 2011. There were more than ten follow-up reports that looked at the extent to which these recommendations were being adopted.
The Swiss media provided extensive coverage of these reports. We think that our reports, ppressure from the media as well as the people's initiative on transparency in 2017 [launched by parties of the left and centre], which basically called for our recommendations to be adopted, were all determining factors in this legislative change.
Hanne Juncher of Denmark has been Executive Secretary of the Group of States against Corruption of the Council of Europe since January 2021. Council Of Europe
SWI: Is the new legislation strong enough or does it need more teeth in your view?
H.J.: Well, GRitself will answer that question when it puts out its next follow-up report in March 2024.
SWI: Why does it matter so much in a democracy like Switzerland that people should know who is funding parties, candidates, and election campaigns?
H.J.: In any democracy, voters need to know who is bankrolling political parties and election candidates. These donations may turn out to explain why parties or candidates take certain positions on current political and social issues.
This is all the more important in Switzerland, because unlike in most countries in Europe, the state doesn't make any contribution to the support of political parties or candidates for elections. They are mainly dependent on private donations, and these donors may wield a great deal of influence.
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