Political parties are the centrepiece of political representation in democratic systems.

Regrettably, political corruption undermines this important role and generates distrust towards politicians, disengaging citizens from public decision-making processes. Organized crime is one of the most conspicuous sources of political corruption. These networks pour money into political parties and forge alliances with politicians and their intermediaries at the national and local levels.

This report provides insights into how multiparty democracy has occasionally shaped and extended the linkages between political parties, politically exposed persons and criminal activity. The analysis focuses on specific cases from Georgia, Mali and Mexico to illustrate these threats, as well as potential strategies for preventing and mitigating relationships between criminals and political actors.