European Party Funding Observatory

The European Party Funding Observatory (EPFO) is a platform dedicated to making European party funding data transparent and accessible to all. According to its official website, the organization "supports European democracy by making European party funding data transparent and accessible to all." Its work centers on the premise that citizens should be able to know the political parties that speak and decide in their name, at every level at which decisions are made. The EPFO's stated rationale, outlined on its About page, is rooted in concerns about democracy backsliding in Hungary, the rise of populism in Central Europe and of authoritarian regimes abroad, and voter suppression. The organization argues that democracy is not simply the choice of political leaders every few years at the ballot box, but a continuous process of two-way interactions between citizens and their parties and elected officials. It emphasizes that political parties are cornerstones of representative democracy, allowing political projects to be carried beyond individual endeavours and personalities. The EPFO highlights the importance of transparency at all levels of governance, noting that it is not sufficient to have democracy only at the local, regional, and national levels while neglecting the European level. It points to the European Union as a context where this pitfall exists, arguing that while EU Member States are largely democracies, democracy is more than the sum of its parts, and there can be no European democracy without transparency and engagement at the European level. The organization operates a website at epfo.eu, where it provides information about its mission and presumably data on party funding. The EPFO appears to be a civil society or research-oriented initiative rather than a commercial entity, though it is treated here as a brand/platform. Its focus is on European party funding, making it a niche but important resource for researchers, journalists, and citizens interested in political finance transparency. As of the available evidence, the EPFO is active and maintains an online presence. Its exact founding date, founders, headquarters, and ownership structure are not specified in the provided sources. The organization's work aligns with broader efforts to enhance democratic accountability and transparency in European political funding.

The European Party Funding Observatory (EPFO) is a platform that emerged from concerns about the state of democracy in Europe and beyond. Its About page cites democracy backsliding in Hungary, the rise of populism in Central Europe, and the rise of authoritarian regimes abroad, as well as voter suppression, as examples of why a robust and healthy democracy must never be taken for granted. The organization argues that democracy is not merely the periodic act of voting but a continuous process of engagement between citizens and political actors, including donations to candidates and parties and party membership. The EPFO positions itself as a response to the need for transparency in political party funding at the European level. It notes that while EU Member States are largely democracies, democracy is more than the sum of its parts, and there can be no European democracy without transparency and citizen engagement at the European level. The organization emphasizes that political parties are cornerstones of representative democracy and that citizens must know the parties that speak and decide in their name at each level of decision-making. The exact founding date and founders of the EPFO are not provided in the available evidence. The organization maintains a website at epfo.eu, which includes a homepage and an About page. The website states that the EPFO "supports European democracy by making European party funding data transparent and accessible to all." The EPFO appears to be a civil society or research initiative rather than a commercial enterprise, though it is treated as a brand/platform in this dossier. As of the available evidence, the EPFO is active and continues to operate its online platform. Its work aligns with broader efforts to enhance democratic accountability and transparency in European political funding. No major milestones, campaigns, scandals, or decisions are documented in the provided sources.

A transparency-focused platform supporting European democracy by making party funding data accessible.

• European party funding data

  Data on political party funding in Europe, made transparent and accessible.

1. 1European Party Funding Observatory | EPFOepfo.eu
2. 2About | EPFOepfo.eu
3. 3European Party Funding Observatorywikidata.org