A quarter of private funds given to EU political parties go to far-right, far-left and populist movements
Transparency Gap: The most extensive analysis of political financing in the United States
According to a report published by the research group Follow the Money and 26 other media outlets, a quarter of private funds given to political parties in the European Union go to far-right, far-left and populist movements. This report, called Transparency Gap, is the most extensive analysis to date of political financing in the United States. The data collected shows that between 2019 and 2022, 150 million euros were allocated to populist parties with extreme political views, representing a quarter of all private donations made during this period.
Lack of transparency in political funding
The study also highlights the lack of transparency in political funding, even when parties follow their country’s rules. Although no signs of irregularities have been found, a study commissioned by the European Parliament into the financing of political parties concluded that a lack of transparency can create risks of corruption.
Increased financial support for far-right and far-left parties
The study also highlights the increase in financial support for far-right and far-left parties in some European countries. In France, for example, the Reconquest parties, Marine Le Pen’s National Grouping and France Insubmissa have experienced a significant increase in financial support. In Latvia, a sharp increase in populist and anti-European MEPs is expected, and non-public funding to these parties has increased from 9% to 36% in four years, mainly driven by the populist Latvia First party.
