Airstrip One

State Funding for Political Parties - 24th June 2003, 22.55

On the 20th June, the European Parliament voted, unsurprisingly, to permit funding for European wide political parties through the Commission. It was accompanied by strict written rules to ensure transparency, although these can never prevent corruption. The only problem lies in the lines of accountability; the Parliament is responsible for laying down the rules in disbursing this cash and has stipulated barriers to entry (3% of the votes cast in the European elections in at least one-quarter of the Member states).