Political parties' financing, 2013

The total government subsidy to the units of the parties that were obliged to report all their income was NOK 419 million in 2013, i.e. NOK 16 million more than in 2012. In relative terms, the share decreased from 74 per cent in 2012 to 67 per cent of the total income. Compared to the former Storting election year in 2009, the total government subsidy increased by NOK 51 million. In that year, its share of the total was almost 71 per cent. Specifically, the so-called “other government subsidy” had a growth compared to 2012 as well as to previous years, i.e. government subsidies other than central government, municipal and county funding. Since 2009, this type of funding has amounted to NOK 7 to 10 million annually, and totalled NOK 17 million in 2013 - almost double that of 2012.

Central government subsidies, i.e. basic and votes funding, reached NOK 347 million for the 693 units of the political parties that were obliged to report all their income. That is equivalent to 83 per cent of all government funding of the same units. In total, 3 184 units answered the questionnaire about their finances. Of these units, 2 491 were not obliged to report fully in accordance with the Political Party Act, but merely to submit a statement on the level of non-governmental income, without further details. The 3 184 units received NOK 370 million in central government subsidies, meaning that the aforementioned 2 491 units received almost NOK 23 million in such funding.

Considerable growth in donations

The voluntary contributions in terms of monetary and other donations given by private persons, organisations, commercials and others, increased markedly. Of the NOK 76 million total, NOK 47 million was donated by organisations and commercial enterprises, and NOK 29 million was donated privately. The growth rate compared to 2012 is mainly the same for both types of donors, with a total increase of 166 per cent - more than the double the 2012 contributions. The contribution value is also considerably higher than in 2009, when it amounted to NOK 53 million - the second highest ever. In the Storting election year 2009, the donations’ share reached 10 per cent of the total income of the political parties. In the other years it has been between 6 and 8 per cent, and amounted to more than 12 per cent in 2013.

Labour and Conservative Party most favoured by donors

The Labour Party and the Conservative Party gained the most from the increase in donations. Labour experienced an increase of NOK 13.6 million, from NOK 7 million in 2012 to NOK 20.6 million in 2013. The Conservatives gained NOK 16.7 million more than in 2012, i.e. a growth from almost NOK 9 million to more than NOK 26 million in 2013. The Conservatives receive their contributions from private donors and commercial enterprises, while Labour’s contributions are nearly all from labour organisations. The Socialist Left Party received NOK 8.7 million; more than double the amount of 2012. The Progress party also experienced an increase in donations, from NOK 0.9 million in 2012 to NOK 4.6 million NOK in 2013. This party, however, received NOK 9.3 million in 2009. Moreover, the Green party received NOK 2.4 million in donations, while previously receiving between NOK 100 000 and NOK 200 000 from donors annually.

Donation total far exceeds election campaign contributions

The political parties were obliged to report election campaign contributions in 2013, i.e. donations exceeding NOK 10 000 accumulated per donor received from the beginning of the year up to the Friday before Election Day in September 2013. Contributions totalling NOK 40.5 million were reported during that period. In the annual report of the political party’s financing, the total amount of donations is to be reported if the political party unit reached an income of NOK 12 000 or more, excluding any government subsidies. These units received a total of NOK 76.2 million in donations in 2013 as a whole.

High capital income for Labour and Conservative parties

Other income was from own activities, i.e. membership fees, capital income , business and other activities. From 2009, these incomes have made up some 19 to 24 per cent of the total income of the parties. In 2013, the share amounted to more than 20 per cent.

Labour and the Conservative are the parties with the biggest capital income, with NOK 15.5 and 10.1 million respectively, i.e. nearly 90 per cent of the capital income of all the political parties. The capital income amounts to some 7 per cent of the total income of both of these two parties, while the average for all parties is less than 5 per cent. Labour in particular experienced a strong increase in capital income, with a gain of more than NOK 6.6 million compared to 2012, i.e. a growth of 73 per cent. The Conservatives increased their capital income by NOK 800 000; approximately 9 per cent more than in 2012. This was less than the average growth for all parties, which was 41 per cent. The Christian Democratic Party boosted its capital income considerably, from less than NOK 300 000 in 2012 to more than NOK 1.1 million in 2013.

The Conservatives, Centre party and Christian Democratic Party are the parties with the highest value of the membership fees, receiving NOK 11 million, NOK 7 million and NOK 5 million respectively. The Green and the Centre Party received membership fees that made up 19 and 15 per cent of their total income respectively. The Pirate Party and the Communists had the highest share of all, with 37 per cent. For Labour, the membership fees make up slightly more than 1 per cent of the total income. The Conservatives received 7.7 per cent of their total income from membership fees; approximately the same level as for all political parties as a whole.

Lotteries important for The Christians and Communist Party of Norway

Remaining income derives from business activities such as sale of merchandise, leasing of offices and buildings, lotteries and other non-specified income. These activities have made up approximately 10 per cent of the total income of all parties as a whole, amounting to NOK 60 million in 2013; NOK 1 million more than in 2012. Looking at each separate party, these incomes vary considerably from party to party and from year to year. The differences may be caused by different principles of accounting between the parties. Income from lotteries and similar seems to be of exceptional importance for The Christians and Communist Party of Norway. These incomes reached a share of 58 per cent for The Christians and 26 per cent for the Communists, while the average was 3 per cent.