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Political Finance Database

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France

2016

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2019

Bans and limits on private income

Public funding

Regulations of spending

Reporting, oversight and sanctions

Question	Value
1. Is there a ban on donations from foreign interests to political parties?	Code Yes Comment .
2. Is there a ban on donations from foreign interests to candidates?	Code Yes Comment .
3. Is there a ban on corporate donations to political parties?	Code Yes Comment .
4. Is there a ban on corporate donations to candidates?	Code Yes Comment .
5. Is there a ban on donations from Trade Unions to political parties?	Code Yes Comment All donations from legal entities banned
6. Is there a ban on donations from Trade Unions to candidates?	Code Yes
7. Is there a ban on anonymous donations to political parties?	Code Yes Comment No direct ban, but de facto ban through requirement to record or report identity of donor.
8. Is there a ban on anonymous donations to candidates?	Code Yes Comment No direct ban, but de facto ban through requirement to record or report identity of donor.
9. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with government contracts to political parties?	Code Yes Source 'Private funding of political parties [...]donations by legal persons are prohibited, including in the form ofgoods, services or other direct or indirect benefits supplied at a discount' (p. 7) (Source: GRECO (2009) Evaluation Report on France, Transparency of Party Funding (Theme II))
10. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with government contracts to candidates?	Code Yes Comment All donations from corporations to candidates are banned. Source 'Law No. 95-65 of 19 January 1995 (concerning the prohibition of donations by foreign states andlegal persons, apart from donations by political parties) also applies to payments to candidates' (p. 8) (Source: GRECO (2009) Evaluation Report on France, Transparency of Party Funding (Theme II))
11. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with partial government ownership to political parties?	Code Yes Source 'Private funding of political parties [...]donations by legal persons are prohibited, including in the form ofgoods, services or other direct or indirect benefits supplied at a discount' (p. 7) (Source: GRECO (2009) Evaluation Report on France, Transparency of Party Funding (Theme II))
12. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with partial government ownership to candidates?	Code Yes Comment All donations from corporations to candidates are banned. Source 'Law No. 95-65 of 19 January 1995 (concerning the prohibition of donations by foreign states andlegal persons, apart from donations by political parties) also applies to payments to candidates' (p. 8) (Source: GRECO (2009) Evaluation Report on France, Transparency of Party Funding (Theme II))
13. Is there a ban on the use of state resources in favour or against a political party or candidate?	Code Yes Comment Indirectly regulated (see expert input below).
14. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during a non-election specific period?	Code Yes, for natural persons Source p.47 'The French authorities now report that [...]Article 15 of the Law of 11 October 2013, which amends Article 11-4 of Law 88-227 by stipulating that the annual ceiling on natural persons' donations to political parties, set at 7 500 euros, shall now apply per donor and no longer per political party. A natural person can therefore no longer donate more than 7 500 euros per year, no matter how many parties benefit therefrom' (Source: GRECO (2013) Third Evaluation Round, Interim Compliance Report on France, Transparency of Party Funding (Theme II)) Art 11.4, 'Les dons consentis par une personne physique d?ment identifi?e ? une ou plusieurs associations agr??es en qualit? d'association de financement ou ? un ou plusieurs mandataires financiers d'un ou de plusieurs partis politiques ne peuvent annuellement exc?der 7 500 euros.' (Source: Loi n? 88-227 du 11 mars 1988 relative ? la transparence financi?re de la vie politique) A modifi? les dispositions suivantes :Modifie Loi n? 88-227 du 11 mars 1988 - art. 11-4 (V) (Source: LOI n? 2013-907 du 11 octobre 2013 relative ? la transparence de la vie publique)
15. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during a non-election specific period, what is the limit?	Code Limit is EUR 7,500 [I$ 8,700] per year. Comment .
16. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during an election?	Code No Comment Regular limit applies. Agreed donations made by a private person identified to one or more associations accredited as financing associations or to one or more financial representatives from one or more political parties should not exceed 7,500 euros annually. Source Art 11.4, 'Les dons consentis par une personne physique d?ment identifi?e ? une ou plusieurs associations agr??es en qualit? d'association de financement ou ? un ou plusieurs mandataires financiers d'un ou de plusieurs partis politiques ne peuvent annuellement exc?der 7 500 euros' (Source: Loi n? 88-227 du 11 mars 1988 relative ? la transparence financi?re de la vie politique) 'The donation limit as regards electoral campaigns (4,600 EUR per election and per year) applies to donations made to candidates? financial proxies. If one donor wants to contribute to a candidate?s campaign and to the party which is endorsing the latter, s/he could give the maximum amounts, i.e. 4,600 EUR to the candidates and 7,500 EUR to the party.' (Source: Expert Barbara Jouan, National Commission for Campaign Accounts France.)
17. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during an election, what is the limit?	Code Not applicable
18. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a candidate?	Code Yes, for natural persons Comment . Source Art L. 52-8, 'Les dons consentis par une personne physique d?ment identifi?e pour le financement de la campagne d'un ou plusieurs candidats lors des m?mes ?lections ne peuvent exc?der 4 600 euros.' (Source: Code Electoral)
19. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a candidate, what is the limit?	Code Limit is EUR 4,600 [I$ 5,200]. Comment The donations made by an identified individual to finance the campaign of one or more candidates in the same election may not exceed 4,600 euros.
20. Is there a limit on the amount a candidate can contribute to their own election campaign?
21. Is there a limit on in-kind donations to political parties?
22. Is there a limit on in-kind donations to candidates?
23. Is there a ban on political parties engaging in commercial activities?
24. Is there a ban on political parties taking loans in relation to election campaigns?
25. Is there a ban on candidates taking loans in relation to election campaigns?
26. Is there a ban on donors to political parties/candidates participating in public tender/procurement processes?
27. Are there provisions requiring donations to go through the banking system?

Question	Value
28. Are there provisions for direct public funding to political parties?	Code Yes, both regularly and in relation to campaigns
29. What are the eligibility criteria for political parties to receive public funding?	Code Share of votes in previous election Comment Different categories; the minimum criteria is for the party's candidates to win at least 1% of the vote in at least 50 constituencies.
30. What is the allocation calculation for political parties to receive public funding?	Code Proportional to votes received Proportional to seats received Comment Part of the funding is proportional to votes gained in the preceding Parliamentary election, part in proportion to Parliamentarians declaring each year that they belong to a political party (candidates can receive campaign spending reimbursement)
31. What are the provisions on 'ear marking' direct public funding to political parties (how it should be used)?	Code No Comment .
32. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for political parties?	Code Yes Comment .
33. What criteria determine allocation for free or subsidized access to media for political parties?	Code Equal Votes Received Other Comment .
34. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for candidates?	Code Yes Comment .
35. Are there provisions for any other form of indirect public funding?	Code Yes Comment Tax deductibility of donations and help for parliamentary groups, and spaces provided for putting up posters.
36. Is the provision of direct public funding to political parties tied to gender equality among candidates?	Code Yes Comment If the gender difference among candidates is larger than 2%, the public funding is reduced by 3/4 of this difference.?
37. Are there provisions for other financial advantages to encourage gender equality in political parties?	Code No Comment .

Question	Value
38. Is there a ban on vote buying?	Code Yes
39. Are there limits on the amount a political party can spend?	Code No Comment No general ceiling on expenses for political parties fixed before the elections. Political parties must only respect the ceiling on expenses which is applied in each constituency where they endorse candidates. On the other hand, candidates have to declare the amount of money coming from political parties.
40. If there are limits on the amount a political party can spend, what is the limit?	Code Not applicable Comment Parties have to respect the ceiling on expenses which is applied in each constituency where they endorse candidates
41. Are there limits on the amount a candidate can spend?	Code Yes Comment The limit depends on the kind of election and the population of each constituency
42. If there are limits on the amount a candidate can spend, what is the limit?	Code The limit depends on the kind of election and the population of each constituency. Comment .
43. Are there limits on the amount that third parties can spend on election campaign activities?
44. Are there limits on traditional media advertising spending in relation to election campaigns?
45. Are there limits on online media advertising spending in relation to election campaigns?
46. Do any other restrictions on online media advertisement (beyond limits) exist?

Question	Value
47. Do political parties have to report regularly on their finances?	Code Yes
48. Do political parties have to report on their election campaign finances?	Code No
49. Do candidates have to report on their election campaign finances?	Code Yes
50. Do third parties have to report on election campaign finances?
51. Is information in reports from political parties and/or candidates to be made public?	Code Yes Comment .
52. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates reveal the identity of donors?	Code Yes
53. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates include information on itemized income?
54. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates include information on itemized spending?
55. Which institution(s) receives financial reports from political parties and/or candidates?	Code Special agency for political finance Comment National Commission for Campaign Accounts and Political Funding (CNCCFP)
56. Which institution(s) is responsible for examining financial reports and/or investigating violations?	Code Court Special agency for political finance Comment The Commission Nationale des Comptes De Campagne et Des Financements Politiques (CNCCFP) refers cases of possible irregularities to the public prosecutor, police or tax authorities for further investigation.
57. What power is granted to the institution(s) responsible for examining reports and/or investigating violations?
58. What sanctions are provided for political finance infractions?	Code Fines Prison Loss of public funding Loss of elected office Comment The Electoral Code provides for financial, political and criminal sanctions.Financial sanctions: loss of public funding for political parties and loss of reimbursement for candidates;Political sanctions: ineligibility for candidates (who can sometimes be removed from office when they are elected candidates).

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