To combat corruption, show me the money.
12 December 2025
As world leaders gather in Doha for the 11th Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC CoSP), one issue demands attention and is something P4I’s founders have promoted for decades: integrity in political financing.
Money fuels political competition — but when its flow is hidden, it allows for the capture of political systems by wealthy or criminal interests. When politics becomes pay-to-play, citizens lose trust, elections lose legitimacy, and integrity gives way to impunity.
Article 7, paragraph 3 of the Convention is clear: States must take measures to enhance transparency in the funding of political parties and candidates.
Yet independent reviews show that too many countries still allow donors to hide behind shell companies, political finance disclosures remain offline or delayed, and oversight bodies are left underfunded and toothless. That’s why democracy advocates are calling on delegates at CoSP11 to take bold steps.
The draft CoSP resolution tabled by Albania, Ghana, Mongolia, and Norway offers a roadmap for change: publish real-time finance reports online, close loopholes for illicit flows, equip oversight agencies, protect civic watchdogs, and prevent abuse of state resources during elections.
These aren’t abstract commitments — they are practical tools to restore integrity and accountability. P4I founders are proud of contributing to the genesis of this roadmap, and to be signatories of two open letters led by the UNCAC Coalition and Transparency International. Transparency in political financing requires collaboration - across sectors, institutions, political actors, media, and civil society.
Transparency isn’t just a governance goal; it’s a public right. As delegates debate in Doha, the message from civil society is clear: commit to integrity in political funding, make transparency the norm, and ensure the promise of democracy isn’t sold to the highest bidder.
