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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Experts from 18 countries meet for Workshop on 'Money and Democratic Politics'

19 November 2001

Experts from 18 countries - including senior academics, parliamentarians, election managers and representatives of civil society - will meet in New Delhi, India, from 21 to 24 November 2001 to consider the relationship between money and the democratic process. They will focus on money and political parties, elections, parliament and government, highlight best practice and make proposals for future action.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon said that the workshop "presents a great opportunity to look at the relationship between money and politics and get it right for the future. Financial contributions are vital for parties and politics, but we need to make sure that they are a constructive and not a destructive influence. Above all, there needs to be proper disclosure and enforcement of the rules and regulations. I'll be watching with interest to see what the workshop comes up with".

Secretary-General of International IDEA Bengt Säve-Söderbergh commented: "The viability of political parties in all democracies is critically dependent upon some form of dependable funding. But the credibility of those parties is increasingly threatened by unregulated, dubious funding. We hope this meeting of experts will shine some light on the issue of unregulated funding and illuminate practical solutions to this matter".

The workshop has been organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), in co-operation with the Election Commission of India and the Confederation of Indian Industry, which is also organising a one day meeting on Saturday 24 November between the workshop participants and a
larger group from India. The workshop takes place at the Hotel Taj Mahal
in New Delhi.

Note to Editors:
This meeting forms part of the Commonwealth Secretariat's Deepening Democracy series of workshops and an International IDEA project which is focusing on political finances. Both bodies will shortly be producing publications on the issues which will be discussed at the workshop. The opening session of the workshop, which takes place in the Hotel Taj Mahal, New Delhi, from 10.00 am to 11.00 am on Wednesday 21 November, is open to the media.
For further information contact Christopher Child or Maja Tjernstrom from Monday 19 November at the Hotel Taj Mahal on telephone number + 91 11 3026162 or + 44 7710 356 901. The International IDEA press office at IDEA's Stockholm headquarters can be contacted on +468 698 3722 (website www.idea.int).

01/75 19 November 2001
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