Funding of European political parties

The Funding of European political parties deals with public funding, political donations, and other forms of funding received by political parties operating transnationally in the European Union (EU) to pay for their activities. Parties operating transnationally in the EU are registered with the EU's Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations (APPF). European political parties are publicly funded, both to actively support their operations and to limit the influence of private money on elections and on the shaping of public policy.

Each year, the European Parliament allocates a total amount of money to fund European political parties qualifying for European public funding. This amount is distributed via a lump sum, allocated equally to all qualifying European parties, and a proportional amount based on each party's share of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). For instance, in 2023, European political parties were allocated a total of €46 million. Depending on their own application for European public funding and on their amount of "reimbursable expenses", European parties may in fine receive less than their maximum allocation. European public funding accounts for the vast majority of European parties' income.

At European level, the majority of private political funding comes from financial contributions from European parties' national member parties. Donations from legal persons and, especially, from individuals only play a limited role. The APPF monitors donations and contributions to European political parties, and publishes a yearly list of political donors.