Political Finance Database

Article16bis of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

"Art. 16bis. Only natural persons may make donations to political parties (and their components), lists, candidates and political representatives."

Article16bis of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

"Art. 16bis. Only natural persons may make donations to political parties (and their components), lists, candidates and political representatives."

Article 16bis of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

"Art. 16bis. Only natural persons may make donations to political parties (and their components), lists, candidates and political representatives."

Article16bis 16ter of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

"Art. 16bis. Only natural persons may make donations to political parties (and their components), lists, candidates and political representatives."

Article16bis of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

"Art. 16bis. Without prejudice to the registration obligation as specified at article 6,  paragraph 2, and article 116, § 6, subparagraph 2, of the Election Code, the identity of natural persons making donations, in any form, equivalent to 125 euros and more to political parties and their components, lists, candidates and political representatives shall be annually registered by the beneficiaries."

Article16bis of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

"Art. 16 bis. Without prejudice to the registration obligation as specified at article 6,  paragraph 2, and article 116, § 6, subparagraph 2, of the Election Code, the identity of natural persons making donations, in any form, equivalent to 125 euros and more to political parties and their components, lists, candidates and political representatives shall be annually registered by the beneficiaries."

Article16bis of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

"Art. 16bis. Only natural persons may make donations to political parties (and their components), lists, candidates and political representatives."

Article16bis of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

"Art. 16bis. Only natural persons may make donations to political parties (and their components), lists, candidates and political representatives."

Article16bis of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

"Art. 16bis. Only natural persons may make donations to political parties (and their components), lists, candidates and political representatives."

Article16bis of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

"Art. 16bis. Only natural persons may make donations to political parties (and their components), lists, candidates and political representatives."

Article16bis of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

"Art. 16bis. Political parties and their components, lists, candidates and political representatives may each
receive annually, as donations from the same natural person, an amount not
exceeding (EUR 500), or its equivalent value. The donor may assign each year a
total amount not exceeding (EUR 2,000), or the equivalent value of this amount,
for donations to the benefit of political parties and their components, lists,
candidates and political representatives."

Article16bis of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

Article16bis  of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

"Article 16 bis. Political parties and their components, lists, candidates and political representatives may each receive annually, as donations from the same natural person, an amount not exceeding (EUR 500), or its equivalent value. The donor may assign each year a total amount not exceeding (EUR 2,000), or the equivalent value of this amount, for donations to the benefit of political parties and their components, lists, candidates and political representatives.) Each donation of 125 euros and more is transmitted electronically through a bank transfer, standing order or bank or credit card. The total amount of donations in cash by a single person may not exceed 125 euros per year."

Article16bis of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

"Article 16 bis. Political parties and their components, lists, candidates and political representatives may each receive annually, as donations from the same natural person, an amount not exceeding (EUR 500), or its equivalent value. The donor may assign each year a total amount not exceeding (EUR 2,000), or the equivalent value of this amount, for donations to the benefit of political parties and their components, lists, candidates and political representatives.) Each donation of 125 euros and more is transmitted electronically through a bank transfer, standing order or bank or credit card. The total amount of donations in cash by a single person may not exceed 125 euros per year."

Article16bis of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the limitation and control of election expenses, amended 2015

"((Without prejudice to the registration obligation as specified at article 6,
paragraph 2, and article 116, § 6, paragraph 2, of the Election Code, the identity
of natural persons making donations, in any form, equivalent to 125 euros and
more to political parties and their components, lists, candidates and political
representatives shall be annually registered by the beneficiaries.)"

Art 16ter. § 2. "The statement shall include the name and surname of the natural person
granting the donation, the full address (street, number and district of the main
residence), nationality, the amount of each donation, the date the donation has
been received and the total amount of all donations received during the current
year."

Article16bis   of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

"Art. 16. The total annual subsidy assigned to each political party complying with the provisions (of articles 15 and 15bis), is composed of the following
amount: 1) a lump sum equivalent to ((EUR 125,000)); 2) an additional sum equivalent to ((EUR 1.25)) per valid vote, being list vote or nominative vote, issued on the candidates lists acknowledged by the political party during the last general elections with a view to fully renewing the Chamber of representatives and of the Senate."

Articles15 and 15bis of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

epresentation in elected body: Art. 15. The Chamber of representatives shall grant, for each political party represented within the Chamber of representatives by at least one member of Parliament, a subsidy on behalf of the institution defined at article 22.

Additional requirement: Art. 15bis. In order to benefit from the subsidy specified at article 15, each party shall include in its statutes or programme a provision according to which it commits to observe the political Action it intends to conduct and make its different components and elected representatives observe at least the rights and freedoms guaranteed under the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of November 4, 1950 as approved by the law of May 13, 1955 and amended by additional protocols in force in Belgium. 

Article 16bis  of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

"Art. 16. The total annual subsidy assigned to each political party complying with the provisions (of articles 15 and 15bis), is composed of the following
amount: 1) a lump sum equivalent to ((EUR 125,000)); 2) an additional sum equivalent to ((EUR 1.25)) per valid vote, being list vote or nominative vote, issued on the candidates lists acknowledged by the political party during the last general elections with a view to fully renewing the Chamber of representatives and of the Senate. "

Political Finance Act, 1989.

'French speaking media [...] From 1964 'tribunes' of eight minutes allocated proportionally according to number of seats in Conseil Culurel [...] Dutch speaking media: since 1979 groups represented by 10 members of the nederlandse Culturaad can create an organization entitled to make programmes. Time allocated equally for 50% and proportionally for 50%-' (p. 101) (Source: Bruce E. Cain, Russell J. Dalton, Susan E. Scarrow (2003) Democracy transformed: expanding political opportunities in advanced industrial democracies, Oxford University Press, Oxford)

P 17, 'The public service broadcaster RTBF adopted a detailed election plan which foresaw the allocation of free airtime to political parties on the basis of their parliamentaryrepresentation; parties with no parliamentary representation were given some limitedaccess on the basis of the number of candidacies filed. For the coverage of candidates in news and debates, the RTBF decided that it should be proportional to the representation of parties in the Parliament of the French Community' (Source: OSCE/ODIHR (2007) Belgium, Federal Election 10 June 2007, OSCE/ODIHR Needs Assessment Mission Report)

Art. 130 Electoral Code of 1894 (amended 2014)

Art. 130. The following electoral expenses are at public expense:  
1° the paper for the ballots the State provides  
2° the attendance fees and the travel expenses for the members of the polling stations, under the conditions defined by the King;  
3° The documented travel expenses of the voters who on the day of the election do not live anymore in the municipality where they are registered, under the conditions defined by the King;  
4° the premiums due for accident insurance for the members of the polling stations to cover all sorts of fees caused by accidents happening to members of the polling stations while performing their Activities; the King determines the modalities and the covered risks. 
 

Article 181 of the Electoral Code of 1894, (amended in 2014)

Art. 181. Whoever gives, offers or promises directly or indirectly, even in form of a bet, money, valuables or any other advantage or security in exchange for a vote, or vote abstention or an authorization to vote mentioned in article 147bis, or offering the described advantages depending on the result of the election, shall be punished and sentenced to prison for between 8 days up to one month and fined between 50 and 500 euros or only one of the two punishments

Article 2 of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

 Art. 2. (§ 1. The total expenses and financial obligations related to the election propaganda of political parties on federal level, on electoral divisions level and on electoral bodies level, shall not exceed, for the elections of the Chamber of representatives, the value of (EUR 1,000,000). 

Article 2 of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

Article 2 of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

Article 2 of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

Art. 2. For each candidate on top of the list up to the number of mandates obtained by his(their) list(s) during the first elections and for any additional candidate to be appointed by the political party (on the presented list of candidates): (EUR 8,700), increased by (EUR 0,035) per voter registered during prior elections for the House of representatives within the election division where the candidate is presented

Article 23 of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

 Art. 23. § 1. The board of administrators of the institution specified at article 22 draws up a financial report on the annual reports of the political party and its components. The financial report is drawn up each year according to the provisions of the law of July 17, 1975 regarding the companies’ accounting and annual reports and orders of execution. 

Annex Art N(3) Act of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

Art. N. The financial report specified at article 23 includes at least the following documents: 
3. The consolidated annual reports of the political party and its components  including the consolidated balance sheet, consolidated profit and loss account, with explanatory notes on the consolidated balance sheet and consolidated profit and loss account according to the model set forth by the Commission of control regarding the election expenses and political party’s accounting. 

Art.1 (4)  the Act of 4 July 1989 on the Limitation and Control of Election Expenses (amended in 2015).

"The Commission of control is bound to consult, under the conditions stipulated by this law, the Audit Office both for the control of election expenses of political parties and individual candidates and for the control of financial reports drawn up by political parties and their components."

Art 6 Act of 4 July 1989 on the limitation and control of election expenses (amended in 2015).

Art. 6. Upon request of a list number, political parties submit a written statement in which they commit to: 
3° [...] The written statement, the statement with the election expenses and the statement with the origin of funds, as well as the confirmation of receipt, are drawn up based upon special forms set forth by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and published in due time in the Belgian Official Gazette. The forms of the election expenses statement and the statement with the origin of funds, as wel as the registration forms specified at paragraph 2, are made available to the political parties at a later date, upon request of a list number. 

Article16bis of the Act of 4 July 1989 on the limitation and control of election expenses, amended in 2015

Art. 16bis. Without prejudice to the registration obligation as specified at article 6, paragraph 2, and article 116, § 6, subparagraph 2, of the Election Code, the identity of natural persons making donations, in any form, equivalent to 125 euros and more to political parties and their components, lists, candidates and political representatives shall be annually registered by the beneficiaries.

 "while it is clear that all donations in excess of EUR 125 and the identity of the donor must be recorded (in connection with party financing and election campaigns of parties and candidates), there is no provision for donations below this sum to be registered individually and for a receipt to be issued.‌" (p.‌ 19) (GRECO (2009), Evaluation Report on Belgium, Transparency of Political Party Funding (Theme II))

Art 6 Act of 4 July 1989 on the limitation and control of election expenses, amended in 2015

Art. 6. Upon request of a list number, political parties submit a written statement in which they commit to: 
3° keep, for two years starting with the elections date, the documentary  evidence related to the election expenses and origin of funds. As far as gifts are listed in the statement of the origin of funds, they also commit to record th identity of the natural persons making donations equivalent to 125 euros or more to finance the election expenses, not to disclose it and to transmit it within fourty-five days after the elections date to the Commission of control, who shall check the observance of this obligation according to article 16bis. The written statement, the statement with the election expenses and the statement with the origin of funds, as well as the confirmation of receipt, are drawn up based upon special forms set forth by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and published in due time in the Belgian Official Gazette. The forms of the election expenses statement and the statement with the origin of funds, as wel as the registration forms specified at paragraph 2, are made available to the political parties at a later date, upon request of a list number. 

Art 6 Act of 4 July 1989 on the limitation and control of election expenses, amended in 2015

Art. 6. Upon request of a list number, political parties submit a written statement in which they commit to: 
3° keep, for two years starting with the elections date, the documentary  evidence related to the election expenses and origin of funds. As far as gifts are listed in the statement of the origin of funds, they also commit to record th identity of the natural persons making donations equivalent to 125 euros or more to finance the election expenses, not to disclose it and to transmit it within fourty-five days after the elections date to the Commission of control, who shall check the observance of this obligation according to article 16bis. The written statement, the statement with the election expenses and the statement with the origin of funds, as well as the confirmation of receipt, are drawn up based upon special forms set forth by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and published in due time in the Belgian Official Gazette. The forms of the election expenses statement and the statement with the origin of funds, as wel as the registration forms specified at paragraph 2, are made available to the political parties at a later date, upon request of a list number. 

Art 24 Act of 4 July 1989 on the limitation and control of election expenses, amended in 2015.

Art. 24. The report specified at article 23 shall be sent within (one hundred and twenty days) from the closing of accounts to the Ministry of Finances and to the presidents of the Chamber of representatives (who shall make sure that the report is immediately published in the Parliamentary Documents).

Art 24(3) Act of 4 July 1989 on the limitation and control of election expenses, amended in 2015

"The Commission of control formulates its findings and approves the financial report (within 135 days after the term specified at paragraph 1), especially based upon the opinion provided by the Audit Office, as far as no irregularities are found out. The opinion of the Audit Office is attached to the report of the Commission of control."

Art 25 and Art16 bis Act of 4 July 1989 on the limitation and control of election expenses, amended in 2015

Art. 25. The failure to submit the financial report to the Commission of control within the period prescribed in Article 24, first paragraph, implicate an automatic suspension of the subsidy to be granted to the institution specified at article 22 until the date of receipt of the report. Upon the receipt of the report, the Commission of control shall impose to the political party the following sannctions: a) administrative fine of 1,000 euros per day of delay, with a maximum of 30,000 euros; b) seizure of the subsidy until the day of the receipt of the report (only if the deposit exceeds the deadline set in article 24, paragraph 1, of more than thirty days).   In case of rejection of the financial report, the Commission of control may impose one of the following sanction: a) caution; b) administrative fine between 1,000 and 100,000 euros. In case of recidivism the administrative fine is doubled.                          

Art. 16 bis. The political party that accepts a donation in breach of article 16 bis, loses its right to the subsidy, up to the double of the donation received. The person that in breach of article 16 bis make a donation to a political party, its components, lists, candidates and political representatives is punished with an administrative fine between 26 and 100.000 euros. The person that accept a donation as a candidate or political representative is punished with the same administrative fine.

Art 25 and Art16 bis Act of 4 July 1989 on the limitation and control of election expenses, amended in 2015

Art. 25. The failure to submit the financial report to the Commission of control within the period prescribed in Article 24, first paragraph, implicate an automatic suspension of the subsidy to be granted to the institution specified at article 22 until the date of receipt of the report. Upon the receipt of the report, the Commission of control shall impose to the political party the following sannctions: a) administrative fine of 1,000 euros per day of delay, with a maximum of 30,000 euros; b) seizure of the subsidy until the day of the receipt of the report (only if the deposit exceeds the deadline set in article 24, paragraph 1, of more than thirty days).   In case of rejection of the financial report, the Commission of control may impose one of the following sanction: a) caution; b) administrative fine between 1,000 and 100,000 euros. In case of recidivism the administrative fine is doubled.                          

Art. 16 bis. The political party that accepts a donation in breach of article 16 bis, loses its right to the subsidy, up to the double of the donation received. The person that in breach of article 16 bis make a donation to a political party, its components, lists, candidates and political representatives is punished with an administrative fine between 26 and 100.000 euros. The person that accept a donation as a candidate or political representative is punished with the same administrative fine.