Mongolia has committed to implementing the Law on Political Parties and increasing transparency in political party financing. This commitment is part of the country’s international efforts to ensure better oversight of political finance. The General Election Commission of Mongolia (GEC), the Open Government Partnership, the Open Society Forum, Transparency International, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) have come together to organize a seminar titled “International Experience in Defining Digital Reporting System Requirements for the Implementation of the Law on Political Parties.” The event took place on April 8-9, 2025.
On April 8, experts from countries such as Latvia, Armenia, and the United Kingdom shared their experiences in political party financing systems. The session aimed to help Mongolia build a transparent and accountable system to monitor party finances effectively.
Lolita Čigāne, a former member of the Latvian Parliament (Saeima) and OSCE member, spoke about Latvia’s digital system for political party financing reports. The Latvian system, called EDIS, was designed to ensure transparency and minimize political risks. Čigāne explained that the system acts as a bridge between political parties and government authorities. It allows all parties to report financing in a standardized manner, ensuring easy monitoring.
The EDIS system automatically registers income and expenditures as they occur. The public has real-time access to this data, allowing them to track both monetary and non-monetary donations. This level of transparency ensures that citizens and donors can see how public funds are spent. Private donations are categorized by the amount, frequency, donor engagement, and industry. Latvia’s searchable database also allows users to query donations by party, donor, and timeframe, making the process more accessible.
The system also provides a reporting application to allow users easier access to the data. This initiative aims to foster trust and ensure public oversight in political party financing.
Dr. Sam Power, a lecturer at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, spoke next about the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in political party financing. He outlined the opportunities AI offers, particularly for election management bodies with limited resources. AI can process vast amounts of data quickly and efficiently, helping to improve transparency and prevent corruption.
Power highlighted the use of AI in systems like “Flagging,” which can identify potential issues such as unlawful or suspicious donations. He explained that AI could also assist with standardizing accounting practices, allowing political parties to adopt uniform financial reporting practices. By incorporating AI, election bodies can ensure that financing is monitored in real-time, and any irregularities can be flagged for further investigation.
However, Power also acknowledged several challenges. He emphasized that a robust legal framework is necessary to ensure AI tools are used effectively. Moreover, election management bodies must have the proper training and resources to handle these systems, which can take time and effort to implement. Power further noted that building trust in AI systems is essential, as citizens must feel confident that the technology is transparent and fair.
The seminar also provided an opportunity for Mongolian officials to learn from international best practices. They discussed the challenges they face in implementing the Law on Political Parties and how digital tools could help solve these issues. Several participants noted that AI and digital reporting systems could streamline the monitoring of political party finances and increase public trust in the political system.
In the coming months, Mongolia aims to integrate some of the ideas discussed at the seminar into its political party financing system. The country has already committed to a transparent system that holds political parties accountable for their funding sources. Officials from the GEC and other organizations will continue to work together to implement these digital tools and legal frameworks.
By adopting international best practices, Mongolia hopes to create a system that ensures accountability, reduces corruption, and builds trust in its political system. With advancements in technology like AI, the country can streamline the monitoring process and make political party financing more accessible to the public.
Mongolia’s commitment to improving transparency in political party financing reflects its growing focus on governance and accountability. The seminar served as an important step toward creating a more transparent system that citizens can trust. The use of digital systems and AI shows promise in reshaping political finance for the better, not only in Mongolia but across the world.
The lessons shared during the seminar will likely shape Mongolia’s approach to political party financing and provide valuable insights for other countries working to improve transparency in their own systems.
