Transparency & Democracy

Democracy thrives on openness and accountability. Only when citizens know how political decisions are made can they exercise their rights, hold governments to account, and participate meaningfully in shaping society. Transparency is therefore not a secondary aspect of democracy, but one of its very foundations.

Why transparency matters

When information is made accessible, citizens are able to knowledgeably participate, journalists can investigate critically, businesses can make reliable plans, and opposition parties as well as civil society are in a position to scrutinise government action. Where transparency is missing, imbalances of power arise. Those who already have influence are able to further strengthen their position, while ordinary citizens lose trust in politics. Without openness, democracy risks becoming a stage on which decisions are made elsewhere, out of sight.

Transparency at the national level

The way in which countries handle access to information differs enormously. Norway, for example, requires authorities to respond to requests within two days. In other countries, the request for information responses could take weeks, months, or citizens have no enforceable right at all. Germany has long been characterised by a culture of secrecy. Only after years of pressure by civic groups and NGOs did Hamburg pass a transparency law in 2012, which obliges public authorities to proactively publish a wide range of documents. It’s often cited as one of the best models for open government and proactive transparency in Europe. That’s why legal frameworks and political culture are equally important when it comes to transparency. 

The problem of lobbying in the shadows

One of the most visible sectors where transparency is lacking is lobbying. In Brussels alone, over 30,000 lobbyists seek to influence EU policy, the majority representing corporate interests. Large companies and their representatives often enjoy privileged access to decision-makers, while the public remains in the dark about who shapes policies that affect their daily lives. Without strong and enforceable rules on transparency and ethics, lobbying remains hidden, undermining both fairness and credibility in democratic processes.

A global challenge

The right to information is recognised in international agreements such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. Yet practice around the world shows vast disparities. Some countries have adopted ambitious legislation and developed digital platforms that provide proactive access to public information. Others hide behind vague security exceptions or restrict access so severely that the right exists only on paper. Global challenges such as climate change, international trade, and human rights cannot be dealt with legitimately when negotiations take place behind closed doors, inaccessible to the people they directly affect. 

Our demands for more transparency

Civil society has long insisted that this democratic deficit be addressed and have been at the forefront of campaigns to strengthen transparency rules. Democracy International calls for a mandatory lobby register that applies to all institutions, for clear disclosure of lobbying activities, for independent ethics bodies that monitor and sanction misconduct, and for strict limits on the revolving door between politics and private interests. Transparency should be provided proactively, with public authorities and parliaments publishing their meetings and legislative footprints.

Achievements and progress

Citizen pressure has already made a difference. In Hamburg, the transparency law has set new standards for proactive publication at the local level. At the European level, a large step was taken in 2019 when the European Parliament voted to amend its rules of procedure and require Members of Parliament in key positions to disclose their meetings with lobbyists. This was the first time that such rules were adopted, and it came after intensive mobilisation by Democracy International and partner organisations. At the global level, tools such as the Right to Information Ranking by Access Info and the Centre for Law and Democracy have increased awareness and created pressure on governments to improve their legal frameworks. These successes prove that change is possible when citizens and civil society work together to demand it.

Our position

Democracy International believes that transparency must become a universal democratic principle. At the national level, parliaments, governments, and administrations must be required to publish information in a proactive and accessible way. At the European level, lobbying must no longer take place in the shadows; only binding regulations can ensure that influence is open to public scrutiny. And at the global level, international institutions and negotiations must be conducted with openness so that citizens can see who is shaping the rules of our interconnected world.

Power must be visible if it is to be controlled. Only when citizens know who influences decisions can they participate meaningfully in democracy.