Greenland's bold move to stop undue influence in elections

Chairman of Naalakkersuisut in Greenland Mute B Egede holds a press conference, amid the current remarks of the US president-elect Donald Trump. Photo- Mads Claus Rasmussen-AFP, Ritzau Scanpix and Denmark out._11zo

This week, we're supporting the newly passed law in Greenland banning foreign political donations to safeguard political integrity. Effective immediately, the legislation aims to prevent undue foreign influence, especially in light of recent US interest under President Trump in acquiring the self-governed territory. The law applies to all candidates, ensuring upcoming elections are free from foreign and undue political interference. 

The law states that political parties are not allowed to receive donations from foreign or anonymous donors, defined as individuals residing outside Greenland. Parties must disclose both the amount of each donation and the identity of the donor. Additionally, domestic private contributions are capped: no party can receive more than 200,000 Danish kroner (€17,170) in total, or more than 20,000 kroner (about €1,717) from a single contributor. Stricter disclosure rules also apply. Any party contribution exceeding 10,000 kroner (€1,340) from a private individual must be publicly reported in the party’s annual accounts, including the donor’s name and address. 

Transparency International and Transparency International Greenland fully support this new law. Our chapter has been calling for stronger transparency in political party financing for many years, and we are glad to see the amendments aligning with many of those recommendations. We hope this initial step leads to further measures, including real-time data disclosure and tightening loopholes in online political advertising. Our new policy position provides a comprehensive list of recommendations for further global reform.

The law comes at a time when many democracies are grappling with the challenges of opaque political finance. In Germany, for example, the far-right Alternative for Germany party recently received a donation of €1.5 million, raising concerns about the influence of large financial electoral contributions.  

Our European chapters keep advocating for reforms. In the United Kingdom, our chapter spoke in Parliament this week on ending big money in politics, while Transparency International France calls for extending the control powers of the National Commission for Campaign Accounts and Political Financing. 

When politicians receive funding from undisclosed sources, it becomes difficult to assess whether their decisions prioritise the public interest or the financial interests of their donors. Without transparency, democracies risk being captured by powerful elites, eroding public trust and weakening institutions. 

Greenland's decision sets an example to other countries where loopholes in political finance regulation persist. We continue to urge the Conference of State Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption to adopt standards for enhancing transparency in political finance based on our policy recommendations. The world urgently needs a global reform to safeguard democracies from the influence of dirty money. – Transparency International