Norway
2016
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
|
2. Is there a ban on donations from foreign interests to candidates? |
Code
No
|
3. Is there a ban on corporate donations to political parties? |
Code
No
|
4. Is there a ban on corporate donations to candidates? |
Code
No
|
5. Is there a ban on donations from Trade Unions to political parties? |
Code
No
|
6. Is there a ban on donations from Trade Unions to candidates? |
Code
No
|
7. Is there a ban on anonymous donations to political parties? |
Code
Yes
|
8. Is there a ban on anonymous donations to candidates? |
Code
No
|
9. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with government contracts to political parties? |
Code
No
Source
|
10. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with government contracts to candidates? |
Code
No
Source
P 6, 'The Norwegian authorities indicate that as elections in Norway are strongly party-centred, the legislation concerning funding and reporting only applies to registered political parties and not to candidates or unregistered groups' (Source: GRECO (2006) Evaluation Report on Norway, Transparency of Political Party Funding (Theme II)) |
11. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with partial government ownership to political parties? |
Code
Yes
Source
|
12. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with partial government ownership to candidates? |
Code
No
Source
P 6, 'The Norwegian authorities indicate that as elections in Norway are strongly party-centred, the legislation concerning funding and reporting only applies to registered political parties and not to candidates or unregistered groups' (Source: GRECO (2006) Evaluation Report on Norway, Transparency of Political 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
No data
|
14. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during a non-election specific period? |
Code
No
|
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
Not applicable
|
16. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during an election? |
Code
No
|
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
No
|
19. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a candidate, what is the limit? |
Code
Not applicable
|
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, regularly
|
29. What are the eligibility criteria for political parties to receive public funding? |
Code
Comment
For 'vote support' there is no threshold. For 'basic support' parties must receive 2.5% of the vote or have at least one seat in Parliament.
|
30. What is the allocation calculation for political parties to receive public funding? |
Code
Proportional to votes received
Comment
100% proportional to votes won in previous election.
|
31. What are the provisions on 'ear marking' direct public funding to political parties (how it should be used)? |
Code
No
|
32. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for political parties? |
Code
No
Comment
No subsidized access to media, and political commercials are banned.
|
33. What criteria determine allocation for free or subsidized access to media for political parties? |
Code
Not applicable
|
34. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for candidates? |
Code
No
|
35. Are there provisions for any other form of indirect public funding? |
Code
Yes
Comment
Parties are exempt from income and capital tax.
|
36. Is the provision of direct public funding to political parties tied to gender equality among candidates? |
Code
No
|
37. Are there provisions for other financial advantages to encourage gender equality in political parties? |
Code
No
|
| Question | Value |
|---|---|
38. Is there a ban on vote buying? |
Code
No data
|
39. Are there limits on the amount a political party can spend? |
Code
No
|
40. If there are limits on the amount a political party can spend, what is the limit? |
Code
Not applicable
|
41. Are there limits on the amount a candidate can spend? |
Code
No
|
42. If there are limits on the amount a candidate can spend, what is the limit? |
Code
Not applicable
|
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
Comment
Parties have to submit annual reports on income and expenditures as well as assets and liabilities. Parties with a total annual income of less than 12.000 kroner (after the deduction of all public grants) are exempted from the aforementioned requirement and are instead obliged to submit a simplified report.
|
48. Do political parties have to report on their election campaign finances? |
Code
Yes
Comment
If parties receive donations above 10,000 kroner during election years, they must file separate reports.
|
49. Do candidates have to report on their election campaign finances? |
Code
No
Comment
Only political parties report
|
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
|
52. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates reveal the identity of donors? |
Code
Sometimes
Comment
The value of the donation and identity of the donor must be reveal for donations to a total value of 35,000 kroner or more. The equivalent limit is lover for county council and municipal level donations.
|
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
Other
Comment
Reports are submitted to the central register (Statistics Norway)
|
56. Which institution(s) is responsible for examining financial reports and/or investigating violations? |
Code
Special agency for political finance
Comment
The Political Parties Act Committee and the Party Auditing Committee.
|
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
Comment
Depending on the severity of the infraction, sanctions can range from a formal warning to imprisonment.
|
