According to the Court of Auditors’ assessment, political parties managed their finances in 2022 in adherence to current regulations “for the most part.” While no major irregularities were discovered, several issues remain to be addressed.
Minor faults were identified by the Court of Auditors, prompting the issuance of a recommendation. An area of concern involves the clear allocation of funds when a party and its parliamentary group jointly finance publications, campaigns, or events. MP Franz Fayot, President of the Parliamentary Budgetary Control Committee and a member of the Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP), emphasised the necessity of clearly defining the amounts invested through formal agreements.
The assessment also highlights the need to scrutinise the evaluation and accounting of benefits in kind.
MP Sven Clement from the Pirate Party advocates for a comprehensive overhaul of the party funding law, citing deficiencies in the current legal status of political parties. He suggests aligning with other countries that define a party based on its legal status and calls for a re-evaluation of criteria to better suit contemporary needs.
Similarly, MP Stéphanie Weydert of the Christian Social People’s Party (CSV), Vice-President of the Committee, supports the idea of improving the law on party funding. “As a legal expert, I think it’s a shame that political parties have no legal status, except for those that have set up a non-profit association,” Weydert said.
In 2022, the State disbursed approximately €3.7 million in grants to political parties, with funding ranging from €884,000 for the CSV to €243,000 for the Left Party (déi Lénk).
The Court of Auditors’ next assessment will also include FOKUS, a party that participated in the last elections with full lists in all constituencies and secured just over 2% of the vote.
