401. OFES COVID-19 Brefing Series: Preventing Government Corruption in Crises
- Author:
- Erica Shenin
- Publication Date:
- 08-2020
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- International Foundation for Electoral Systems
- Abstract:
- Preventing Government Corruption in Crises, the fifth paper in the International Foundation for Electoral Systems’ (IFES) COVID-19 Briefing Series, looks closely at this question and offers guidance for democracy and governance practitioners, policymakers and supporters. Corruption undermines the efficiency and efficacy of government, which, in the short term, can derail the response to a public emergency. It also drives distrust in democratic institutions, including legislatures, executive agencies and courts. As a result, corruption by bad actors in public office – whether for personal or political gain – has the potential to damage the credibility and integrity of governments long after the immediate crisis has passed. The long-term ill effects of political corruption must not be ignored, given the potential for state capture and the entrenchment of incumbent regimes. This risk is especially concerning as many elections have been postponed and modified as a result of the health crisis, subverting the ultimate accountability measure for governments. The unprecedented volume of funds being deployed to address the COVID-19 crisis and bolster economies creates new opportunities for exploitation and undermining of accountability mechanisms in several key areas.
- Topic:
- Corruption, Elections, Democracy, Public Health, Pandemic, and COVID-19
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus