In a June survey, we focused on what citizens think about the funding of political parties. Approved by 94% of respondents, membership fees are the most supported form of funding. Financial donations from party sympathisers received approval from only a slightly smaller percentage of respondents (87%). 71% of those polled approve of contributions from sponsors and interest groups and the majority of people (58%) also agree that parties should be able to have income from own business activities.
In contrast, obtaining funds from the state budget is the least supported form (28%).
The grounds on which people join political parties were another topic the survey dealt with. More than four fifths of those polled (85%) think that people join parties to establish contact with important persons. 75% of respondents believe that gaining privileged positions and functions is another strong motivation. On the other hand, personal gain is not the only motivation to become a member of a party – 72% of those surveyed are of the opinion that joining a party is motivated by an effort to change things for the better. Over two thirds of respondents think that people join parties so as to be able to participate in the fulfilment of their manifestoes (69%) and because they want to belong somewhere (68%). 66% of respondents believe that those joining a party are motivated by financial gain.
Concurrently, we wanted to learn what citizens think should be the motivation to join a political party. 92% of those polled agree that parties should be joined because of an effort to change things for the better, and 90% because of a desire to participate in fulfilling the party manifesto. Three quarters of respondents also think that an effort to belong somewhere also represents a legitimate reason (77%). On the other hand, there is widespread disapproval as to the joining of a political party for the purpose of financial gain (right 44%, wrong 52%). Only 15% of those surveyed think that it is right for citizens to join parties in an effort to secure privileged positions and functions and only 13% believe that financial gain is the right motivation.
