Parties and money from the state in the first 3 months of 2024: They spent more than they received. AUR is the champion. Press and propaganda record (Infographics)

Expert Forum launched, on Tuesday, a new report on the income and expenses of political parties that benefit from subsidies.

The report analyzes all political party income and expenditure related to subsidies in the first 3 months of 2024.

There it is the main conclusions

• AEP transferred for the January-March period to five parties the amount of 67.6 million of lei:

1. PSD – 26.5 million lei
2. PNL – 22.5 million lei
3. PMP – did not receive funds due to a legal conflict regarding the party’s presidency
4. USR – 12.1 million lei
5. GOLD – 5.3 million lei
6. ProRo – 1 million lei, but the funds are transferred to a bailiff

• The parties spent more than they received until March, that is 81 million lei – 120%. AUR spent the most compared to what it received in these three months, i.e. 240%. Compared to the first months of previous years a significant increase is seen regarding the amounts invested by the parties. For example, in 2023 the parties had spent 55 million lei until March, and in 2022 – 34 million lei. The parties spent as follows:

• PSD spent 27/26 million lei – 102% of the amount transferred by AEP
• PNL – 23/22 million lei – 105% of the amount transferred by AEP
• PMP – there were no recorded revenues, only expenses of 173 thousand lei
• USR – 17/12 million lei – 141% of the amount transferred by AEP
• GOLD – 12/5 million lei – 240% of the amount transferred by AEP
• Pro Romania – the funds are transferred to a bailiff, almost 1 million lei.
• The highest spending was in March, at 35 million, compared to 20 million in February and 25 million in January.

The largest amounts were spent on:

1. press and propaganda – 43.8 million lei – 53% of total expenses
2. personal – 7.7 million lei – 9% of the total expenses
3. political consultancy – 7.5 million lei – 9% of total expenses
4. political activities – 5.9 million lei – 7%
5. opinion polls – 4.6 million lei – 5%
6. movable and immovable goods – 3.1 million lei – 4%
7. for the rest of the categories, the percentages are below 3% – almost 9 million lei

• Expenses for press and propaganda have risen steadily since 2021, for the same period of time. If in 2021, the parties spent 10 million lei in the first 3 months, in 2024 they spent almost 44 million.
• The parties reached the highest spending figures since these data were measured. PSD spent in January 2024 – 8.4 million lei, surpassing previous records from the end of 2021 (7.2 million lei). PNL and AUR achieved these performances in March 2024, with 6.2 million lei and 4.8 million lei, respectively. USR also spent the most compared to the history of the party on subsidies – 4.3 million lei in March. On the other hand, in February PNL spent only 432 thousand lei, which is by far the lowest monthly allocation. Online advertising remains a small part of promotion expenses – 2.4 million lei in the first 3 months (PSD, PNL, USR and AUR).

• Survey expenses reached 4.8 million lei. Only three parties spent on polls:

1. PSD – 2.3 million lei.
2. PNL – 1.1 million lei
3. USR – 1 million lei

• to organizing political activities AUR, USR and PNL stand out, with 2.5 million lei and 1.5 million lei respectively. PSD spent significantly less, i.e. 376 thousand lei. The significant increase may also show that outside of election years, parties do not invest much money in organizing political activities with citizens.