Volt Belgium supports lawsuit against particracy

Volt Belgium supports the initiative of Vista, Pro, Oxygene and Collectif Citoyen to challenge the party financing system in court.¹

The Belgian political parties are amongst the wealthiest in Europe and belong to the absolute European top of big spenders on propaganda through social media. This promotes rigidity and unfair competition.

Various initiatives from civil society for reform of the financing system, such as “We Need to Talk”, have so far yielded no results.

There is deafening silence about the agreements on reforming the system in the coalition agreement, occasional whispered support for reforms is only make-believe. Public financing was once intended to make parties immune to corruption, but has turned into a perverse incentive to keep the bastion closed to newcomers. In addition to the exorbitant party financing, the legal and natural electoral thresholds do the rest to block renewal.

Public financing is intended for democracy, not for particracy and self-enrichment of the parties. Democracy benefits from a vibrant party landscape and involved and active citizens, where the established parties are continuously challenged by newcomers. Unfortunately, in particracy the incumbent parties have shielded themselves from competition.
Nevertheless, the diversity of new political initiatives shows that there is indeed a hunger for political and social participation, but the impregnable bastion of particracy has a discouraging effect, especially for young people.

That is precisely why it is important to continue to expose this. Volt Belgium believes that voters should have a real choice on June 9, 2024.

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¹ Eeckhout, B. (2023, December 12). Vier partijtjes naar rechter om partijfinanciering: ‘Zelfbediening met geld uit de staatskas’ (Four parties go to court for party financing: 'Self-service with money from the state treasury'). De Morgen. Retrieved on December 12, 2023, from https://www.demorgen.be/snelnieuws/vier-partisans-naar-rechter-om-party-financing-self-service-met-geld-uit-de-staatskas~b7d4ac8d/

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Press and media requests:
Carlo Giovanni Giudice
Co-Chairman of Volt Belgium
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +32 497 85 11 05