Running for political office in Monaco might involve winning over a relatively small electorate, but the sums permitted for election campaigns are surprisingly substantial…
New regulations published in the latest Journal de Monaco reveal that a list of candidates contesting municipal elections can spend up to €216,000 on its campaign, whilst an independent candidate is permitted to spend €72,000.
However, candidates do not necessarily have to shoulder the entire financial burden themselves. Under the rules, lists comprising eight to 15 candidates can qualify for public reimbursement of up to €83,000, whilst smaller lists of two to seven candidates may receive €37,000. Independent candidates can recover up to €18,000.
The figures offer an interesting insight into the financial framework surrounding elections in the Principality, where campaign spending is regulated and public reimbursement is available under specified conditions. Importantly, these are maximum permitted amounts rather than an indication of what candidates actually spend, and the regulations apply specifically to municipal elections, not elections to the National Council.
Introduced through a ministerial order dated September 30, the changes update existing electoral financing provisions and establish clear spending limits for future municipal contests. For anyone considering entering local politics, the figures demonstrate that even in a country covering just two square kilometres, election campaigns can involve considerable sums of money.
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