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Contemplating Political Finance Reform in Post-Conflict Environments

Author: J Carlson, B Dahl, M Walecki
Date: 2006
Size: 6 pages (2.10 MB)

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Summary

What are the fundamental steps necessary for creating a viable political finance system in post-conflict societies? This concluding chapter from an International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) publication presents lessons for post-conflict political finance reform. To become legitimate and effective, a post-conflict political finance system must be integrated and weighty. International donors should therefore include political finance within the legal framework of a post-conflict political process as a key administrative and funding priority.

Post-conflict environments provides both challenges and opportunities for introducing political finance reform as a necessary element of peacebuilding and democratisation. A good political finance system can be achieved with sufficient political will. Enforcement of political finance rules is a key issue and will require special election-specific enforcement mechanisms with the capacity and power to act effectively.

Case studies indicate that the fundamental steps necessary for creating a viable political finance system in post-conflict societies include the following:

• Gathering and assessing information on assets and financial flows among actors involved in the post-conflict political system. Assets of actors that formerly controlled a country’s illegitimate regime and abused state resources should be seized.
• Recognising political finance as a priority, defining the role of and introducing a political finance system and developing a political finance regulator.
• Providing limited direct and/or in-kind subsidies to political parties.
• Educating political groups, the media, civil society and the public about political finance, engaging them in reform and supporting them in monitoring political finance.
• Documenting violations and enforcing the law within the constraints of the post-conflict environment and evaluating the political finance system over the first election cycle.
• Supporting the transfer of ownership of the political finance system to local authorities.

These fundamental steps are achievable provided there is sufficient political will within the international community and the post-conflict society itself. However, they also raise several caveats that policymakers should bear in mind:

• There are no general rules for the design of political finance systems in post-conflict situations. A range of choices and ideas should be adapted to each specific situation.
• International standards and best practices will have to be redefined to reflect the political reality of post-conflict situations. The international community should not assume that actors in post-conflict situations will immediately accept its rules.
• All interventions related to political finance policy require careful analysis, planning and design. Such analysis should be conducted concurrently with peace negotiations, in cases where they take place.
• Achieving an optimum result in which all parties benefit from financial arrangements in the first post-conflict election is generally impossible. Fairness can only be achieved over time if all relevant parties are involved in developing the system.
• Timing is critical to success. Setting up a political finance system takes time and political finance issues can often be neglected because of pressure to hold elections quickly.

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Source: Source: Carlson, J., Dahl, B., and Walecki, M., 2006, 'Contemplating Political Finance Reform in Post-Conflict Environments', in Political Finance in Post-Conflict Societies, eds. J. Fischer, M. Walecki and J. Carlson, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), Washington DC, pp.117-122
Organisation: International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), http://www.ifes.org/