site.btaDraft European Parliament Report Calls for Ban on Foreign Party Funding in EU

The European Parliament's (EP) Committee on Constitutional Affairs Wednesday approved a draft report on the EP elections of 2024. The document makes many recommendations, including the introduction of a ban on foreign funding of parties in the EU. The report will be put to the vote at the EP session in Strasbourg in September, the Committee said in a press release.

The draft report was adopted with 20 votes in favour, 8 against, and one abstention. The document takes into view lapses in the data on dual citizenship and administrative obstacles to voting for 11 million mobile citizens of the EU, a drop in the participation of youth in the EP elections, national points of view dominating election debates. National parties and media are called upon to improve the visibility of EU's policies.

According to the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, it would be best to hold EP elections on one and the same date by applying single voting age rules and allowing voting by post. The report calls on Member States to introduce restrictions on political donations and ban all foreign donations.

The document reprimands the MEP candidates, including some of the ruling parties, who presented themselves with false, foreign-backed anti-European messages. MEPs on the Committee express concern about malicious interference, such as disinformation from Russian and other sources, aimed at polarising and instilling distrust.