Abuse of State Resources: A brief introduction to what it is, how to regulate against it and how to implement such resources

July 2011

This brief paper deals with three separate but closely related issues – how to understand state/administrative resources and the way they can be abused; how to regulate the (ab)use of state resources in political and electoral affairs, and how to implement or enforce such regulations.

Financial Disclosure, Political Finance, Public Funding

The Future of Political Finance in Cambodia

April 04, 2011

Money, said to be the "mother's milk of politics," can be a major stumbling block for democracy if it is not well-regulated and if political parties and candidates have grossly uneven access to funds.

Political Finance, Political Parties, Public Funding

Elections in Tunisia: Key Challenges for Credible and Competitive Elections

February 24, 2011

Tunisia’s ongoing and rapid political change is likely to culminate in coming days on an agreement on the timeframe for presidential and parliamentary elections. Assuming that political will for change remains in place, these elections will take place in a very different political climate to any other elections held in the North Africa region.

Election Disputes, Election Observation, Public Funding, Election Management, Voter Registration

IFES Expert Discusses International Trends in Political Finance at IPSA Conference

February 22, 2011

Dr. Magnus Ohman, IFES political finance expert, presented his paper "Analyzing Recent Trends in Political Finance Regulation in the South and in the North" at the biannual International Political Science Association (IPSA) conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Political Finance, Public Funding, Electoral Systems, Political Parties

Four IFES Experts Present Papers at IPSA Conference

February 14, 2011

IFES will be presenting four papers on the electoral process at this year’s International Political Science Association (IPSA) biannual conference Whatever Happened to North-South? Held in Sao Paulo, Brazil from February 16-19, 2011, the conference is expected to host hundreds of scholars and practitioners across the field of political science and provide attendants the opportunity to discuss current political issues across the world.

Election Disputes, Election Observation, Electoral Systems, Elections, Political Finance

Global Trends in The Regulation of Political Finance

February 14, 2011

This paper deals with the role of money in politics, and in particular with certain efforts by countries around the world to regulate this role. In the current world (and probably since we first started organising ourselves politically), money in politics or political finance as we commonly know it is a central aspect of any political system, whether democratic or undemocratic, "developed" or "developing" and regardless of political culture or tradition.

Political Finance, Electoral Systems, Public Funding, Political Parties

IFES Releases Paper on the Use of Gender Quotas in the Arab World

February 10, 2011

One of the most controversial, yet important tools to promote women into the political arena has been the gender quota. The Strategic use of Gender Quotas in the Arab World,  written by Hybl Reseach Fellow Bozena Chrisina Welbourne, explores the mix of incentives seen in the variation in gender quota adoption within legislatures across the Middle East and North Africa.

Gender Issues, Public Funding

The Strategic Use of Gender Quotas in the Arab World

February 09, 2011

Why are levels of gender representation and gender-related policy reform in Morocco higher than in Lebanon? Lebanon has long boasted a cosmopolitan, educated culture and was hailed the “Paris of the Middle East” up until the civil war.

Gender Issues, Public Funding

Political Finance BRIDGE Module

November 24, 2010

On November 5, 2010 the Political Finance BRIDGE Module was officially endorsed by all of the BRIDGE partners following consultations. Developed by IFES in collaboration with International IDEA, the idea for the module grew out of a recognized need for capacity building of electoral stakeholders specifically in political finance.

Political Finance, Public Funding, Electoral Systems

BRIDGE Debuts Political Finance Module in Pakistan

October 26, 2010

The first-ever BRIDGE workshop on Political Finance took place in Lahore, Pakistan on September 2010. This module, a new addition to the list of modules offered by BRIDGE under the second version of the program, looks at how money affects the political process and what countries can do to mitigate its negative effects. BRIDGE (Bridging Resources in Democracy, Governance and Elections) is a comprehensive professional development course designed by and for election administrators to better understand the electoral process.

Public Funding, Political Parties, Political Finance, Electoral Systems