Corruption and undue influences compromise the quality of democracy and fuel democratic discontent. But how does political corruption operate today?
What is the extent of its negative impact on democracy?
More importantly, how can anti-corruption efforts restore public trust in democracy and promote integrity and civic engagement?

Understanding Political Corruption in Modern Democracies

RESPOND addresses these critical challenges by offering a novel, interdisciplinary assessment of political corruption. We define political corruption as actions and behaviours, often in legal grey zones, that lead to biased decision-making and exclusion in the policy cycle.
RESPOND builds on and extends the work of previous EU-funded projects such as BIT-ACT, DIGIWHIST, and ANTICORRP. By leveraging the knowledge and networks established by these projects, RESPOND can advance the field further.
Additionally, RESPOND uniquely incorporates the impact of digitalization on political corruption. While much of the existing literature on corruption overlooks the role of digital media, RESPOND aims to fill this void by examining how both older and newer digital technologies can perpetuate corrupt practices. This exploration is crucial in the modern context, where digital platforms play an increasingly central role in political processes and citizen engagement.
Moreover, RESPOND is committed to not only understanding corruption but also finding solutions. It seeks to co-design and test practical tools and practices with stakeholders to enhance integrity and reduce corruption. This collaborative approach ensures that the solutions are feasible, sound, and acceptable to those involved, thereby increasing the likelihood of their successful implementation.

Our Mission:
Enhancing Ethical Governance and Restoring Democratic Trust

Through a mixed-method research design, RESPOND examines 27 EU countries and 11 neighbouring countries. Our goal is to identify ways to enhance ethical performance among governments, public officials, and political parties, ultimately restoring the popularity and credibility of democratic systems.

Our approach involves:

• Analyzing Key Forms of Political Influence
• Investigating political finance, lobbying, revolving doors/personal ties, and media capture.
• Identifying when these influences become problematic and link to corruption patterns.
• Understanding their impact on fair competition and broad political participation.

Evaluating Perceptions and Social Constructs

• Examining how political elites and citizens perceive political corruption.
• Assessing the role of media and education in shaping these perceptions.
• Analyzing the impact on the legitimacy and credibility of democratic institutions and anti-corruption responses.

Exploring the Role of Digital Technologies

• Investigating the interaction between established and emerging digital technologies and political corruption.
• Assessing how technology can enhance anti-corruption and pro-integrity strategies at national and cross-border levels.

Engaging in Stakeholder Co-Creation

• Collaborating with relevant stakeholders to design, test, and refine practices and tools.
• Developing new risk indicators to improve civic monitoring and integrity in democracies.

Understanding how anti-corruption works in digitalized and datafied societies

• Promoting open government initiatives to counter corruption
• Enhancing digital literacy to empower citizens to recognize and combat corrupt practices.
• Supporting grassroots movements and NGOs in creating digital campaigns to raise awareness and advocate for policy changes.
• Investigating and exposing corrupt activities through in-depth reporting and investigative journalism.