United List proposes 15% cut to party funding

Latvia’s United List alliance wants to cut state funding for political parties by at least 15% from next year and ease restrictions on how the money can be spent, LSM reported, citing Latvian Television’s investigative programme De facto.

The proposal comes as the distribution of state funding is expected to change substantially after parliamentary elections. Some parties could lose hundreds of thousands of euros, while others may receive more than one million euros a year.

The United List has not agreed on a specific funding formula, but plans to adopt amendments alongside next year’s state budget so the cut can take effect in January. Alliance co-chair Edgars Tavars said the reduction would be a condition for joining the next governing coalition and part of wider savings, including cuts to the number of ministries and other spending.

Other parties are open to discussing lower funding. Unity chairman Edmunds Jurēvics said parties should not be exempt from cuts to public administration. National Alliance board member Jānis Dombrava did not say whether his party would support a 15% reduction.

Latvia First would accept an even larger cut but wants to reconsider the ban on companies donating to political parties, said the party’s parliamentary group leader, Linda Liepiņa.

Tavars also proposes easing limits on the use of state funding. Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau opposes lifting those restrictions and wants more detailed reports on how parties spend public money, De facto reported.

Political parties are due to receive about 6.7 million euros from the state budget this year. For many parties, public funding has covered more than half of their election campaign costs.