Elections 2023: First reports on campaign budgets are public

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At least 45 days before election day – so no later than September 7 – campaign budgets of more than 50,000 francs and donations of more than 15,000 francs must be announced with the name of the donor. The SFAO receives, checks and publishes the reports.

National Councilor Nicolò Paganini (Mitte/SG) was the first to announce his re-election budget, the newspaper Blick reported on Wednesday. Paganini has registered CHF 54,000 so far. The figures are provisional, as the election budget is subject to change.

A final statement must be submitted after the elections. In contrast to the National Council, only those elected in the Council of States must comply with the transparency regulations by submitting the final accounts after taking office.

Four organizations supporting incumbent councilors and new civic candidates also announced budgets. They are the parties Zug and Jurassic Mitte, the cantonal trade association of St. Gallen and the trade association Thurgau. Together they registered CHF 525,000.

The Greens recently announced a record donation: one million francs, the largest single donation in their history. An heiress of the founding family of building materials group Sika had transferred the amount.

Parties represented on the councils must first disclose their finances in June 2024, i.e. for the 2023 election year. They must account for contributions from members and elected representatives, other income and donations of CHF 15,000 or more. Independent councilors must report donations of CHF 15,000 or more.

The new transparency requirements for political funding are laid down in the Political Rights Act. They are an indirect counter-proposal to the withdrawn Transparency Initiative.

(SDA)

Source:Blick