Striking a balance between self-regulation and regulation in online campaigning, ahead of 2025 parliamentary elections in Albania

On October 1, International IDEA together with Rule of Law Centre at the University of Helsinki and Albania's Central Election Commission launched a discussion focused on the self-regulation and legal regulation of online electoral campaign financing. 

The event marked the start of phase II of the project "Integrity and Trust in Elections: Fostering Political Finance Transparency and the Safe Use of Information and Communication Technologies - Albania and Kosovo".  It offered a platform to discuss both approaches, encouraging the conduct of more transparent and fair electoral campaigns, especially regarding the rapidly evolving online landscape. Participants acknowledged that technology often outpaces legislative changes, emphasizing the importance of soft-law regulations to prevent unethical practices in digital campaigns. The participants also got acquainted with a joint initiative from International IDEA and National Democratic Institute to introduce a Code of Conduct addressing digital campaigning.  

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This initiative draws from previous experiences in the Netherlands (2021) and more recently during 2024 European Elections. Representatives from the Central Election Commission of Albania highlighted gaps in the existing legal framework regarding online campaign and the difficulties in tracking and auditing these expenses. Participants also listened to experiences from Kosovo and Finland with regards to regulation and auditing of electoral campaign expenditures. The critical role of civil society and citizens in holding political parties accountable to voluntary commitments such as Codes of Conduct was also underscored.

This marks the beginning of ongoing discussions between political parties, the elections management body, and civil society organizations to advocate for the endorsement of the Code of Conduct on online campaigning, with continued support from the NDI and the Central Election Commission of Albania.

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