Hidden election funding a threat to Finnish democracy, researcher says

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"The system is leaking, and because no one has fixed it. It is leaking at an accelerating pace," says Tomi Venho, a PhD in political science with years of experience in researching election financing for the Foundation for Municipal Development (Kaks).

Venho mentions, for example, that local party organisations - unlike regional and national party organisations - have minimal requirements to account for their income and expenditures.

He says that since this money can be kept under wraps, it means that large sums can be spent on election campaigns without voters knowing where the money comes from.

In municipal elections, contributions of at least 800 euros should be declared, but Venho says many candidates fail to do so when the money comes through local party organisations.

"As an expert, at any time I can find 100,000 euros that has come into a local party organisation. This is money that is not visible in public accounts," he claims.

There are many ways to circumvent the legislation on campaign financing, and parties and candidates have learnt to exploit the loopholes, he says.

Venho stresses, however, that this does not necessarily mean illegal activity.

"There is a huge amount of hidden money. Maybe less in municipal elections and wellbeing services county elections. But in the last parliamentary elections, for example, it got out of hand. Legislation has lost its effect," Venho argues.

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