Publication | Book

Financing Politics: The Middle East and North Africa

Money and politics have gone hand-in-hand since the earliest days of democracy, and the implications of their relationship are wide. Financing parties and candidates directly impacts the ability of political contestants to campaign and create a connection with voters. It is critical this link remain uncorrupted, and that trust, transparency and accountability are preserved.

Legislation to direct how monies are obtained, spent and tracked is necessary and widely-implemented around the world. In practice, regulation and oversight of political finance requires collaboration among many stakeholders and a keen understanding of the context in which issues of money and politics are addressed.

Financing Politics: The Middle East and North Africa is a collaborative effort between the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the Arab Region Parliamentarians Against Corruption (ARPAC). It represents a concerted attempt to better understand and document existing political finance regulations and experiences in five countries – Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia and Yemen. The availability of information on the funding of parties and campaigns is a first and significant step in enhancing transparency.