Money in politics is a double-edged sword. It is a necessary component of the democratic process, enabling the expression of political support as well as allowing for competition in elections.

Money in politics is a double-edged sword. It is a necessary component of the democratic process, enabling the expression of political support as well as allowing for competition in elections. Yet, if the financing of political parties and election campaigns are not adequately regulated and monitored, money may also be a means for powerful special interests to capture the policy process. This report provides an in-depth analysis of the political finance mechanisms in Greece, drawing on international standards and good practices. It provides concrete guidance on developing a solid legislative framework and an effective oversight mechanism for political finance. Finally, the report suggests ways to improve integrity in the short and medium term.

This report analyses the issues, sets out the evidence, and makes recommendations for moving forward rapidly to strengthen Greek public governance.

This report exposes how “policy capture”, where public decisions over policies are consistently or repeatedly directed away from the public interest towards a specific interest, can exacerbate inequalities and undermine democratic values, economic growth and trust in government.

Public investment, and particularly infrastructure investment, is important for sustainable economic growth and development as well as public service provision. However, it is also vulnerable to capture and corruption.

This review analyses the Anti-corruption Policy of the State of Mexico and Municipalities, highlighting its strengths (i.e. inclusion and rigour) as well as the need to include specific integrity risks (i.e. policy capture) to make it more comprehensive. The review analyses how the State Government could develop ownership of ethical rules and values to effectively influence public officials’ behaviour.