The European Commission will draft new guidelines following Gong’s appeal

Following Gong’s complaint to the European Ombudsman concerning the participation of President von der Leyen in a HDZ election campaign video, the European Commission decided to develop guidelines for the participation of its members in national election campaigns. The European Ombudsman, the body to which Gong reported Ursula von der Layen‘s participation in the HDZ’s…

We have to get the exact costs for Facebook campaigns

The data from the SEC financial reports and the social media reports for the European Parliament election show that the amount spent, which Gong warned about even before the election, is not possible to precisely define and it is necessary to more clearly regulate political advertising on social media and digital platforms The New Rulebook…

Ads are not labeled as political, and some don’t even appear

The election campaign for the European Parliament in 2019 was the first election campaign in which we have had a somewhat better insight into a political advertisement on social media, especially on Facebook. In accordance to the promise of increasing transparency in advertising which Facebook has given to the European Union, the campaign has provided…

On financing campaigns and referenda: The Government and the Parliament are (again) unenthusiastic

In order to invalidate to the largest extent possible the rule that elections are won with „one third above and two thirds below the table“, GONG is appealing to the Government and the Parliament that, before their dissolution, they pass a long awaited and improved Act on Referenda, and to make the most of the…

Three candidates for Constitutional Court judges short-listed

The parliamentary committee for the Constitution on Tuesday proposed that parliament appoint two constitutional court judges from three short-listed applicants out of 11 who had applied – a constitutional law professor, Sanja Baric, Judge Ivana Calic and former state prosecutor Mladen Bajic. Baric won the support of all committee members at the meeting which Croatian…

Cuckoo’s eggs and buying parliamentary representatives – what lies in the legislative proposal?

Zagreb, 20.06.2013 - Sjednica Vlade Republike Hrvatske. Na slici Arsen Bauk. foto FaH/ ik

Prohibiting civil society organizations from financing referendum campaigns is almost tantamount to prohibiting parties from financing their own election campaigns, considering the fact that referenda are one of the main forms of citizens’ activism and direct decision-making. At the same, time, political parties are enabled to “buy” parliamentary representatives. Although GONG welcomes most provisions of…