The RESPOND Co-Creation Workshops played a pivotal role in deepening the understanding of political corruption by bringing together experts from various fields. Through their active contributions, they helped refine the data, indicators, and analyses gathered by the RESPOND partners CEU, UGOT, UCSC – TRANSCRIM and KLC.

These four workshops, held throughout February and March 2025, were designed by NET7 in collaboration with S-Com to foster cooperation and strengthen the project’s research framework, offering a deeper insight into political corruption and its underlying mechanisms.

The workshops were structured to provide an interactive and inclusive platform where all participants, regardless of their background, had the opportunity to contribute equally. Thanks to dynamic discussions and co-design sessions, the workshops allowed participants to help shape the direction of the RESPOND research.

The workshops explored key topics such as public procurement, legislative favouritism, political finance, revolving doors, and media capture. RESPOND partners and field experts in each field contributed their knowledge, enriching the understanding of these corruption practices and refining the definitions and indicators that will shape the project’s future research.

Participants were encouraged to share their professional insights, which proved invaluable in enhancing the methodologies and analytical frameworks used to investigate political corruption. These exchanges not only helped identify critical corruption practices but also further refined the overall research approach.

The workshops attracted a wide range of professionals from over 14 countries across Europe and beyond, including Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Ireland, Italy, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and Ukraine, creating a truly international atmosphere.

A total of 89 participants took part in the series of workshops, with the first session held on February 28, 2025, attended by 20 participants. The subsequent workshops took place on March 14 (22 participants), March 21 (25 participants), and March 28 (22 participants).

The participants’ diverse professional backgrounds – including researchers, legal experts, investigators, oversight officers, policy analysts, civil society representatives, NGO members, journalists, policymakers, and public institution officials – greatly enriched the discussions, fostering a deeper and more dynamic exchange of ideas.

The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with many highlighting the workshop’s interactive and inclusive format. Comments included:

● “I liked the multiple access points for sharing ideas and co-creating.”

● “The workshop was inspirational and constructive.”

● “The format and the different topics covered at the event were perfectly designed and balanced. I thoroughly enjoyed it!”

● “The discussion around media capture was particularly insightful, as it highlighted how interconnected we all are, and how some forces shaping our lives can appear benevolent while disregarding our well-being.”

Participants also appreciated the variety of activities and the diverse expertise involved, contributing to a more enriching experience for everyone.

Building on the insights from the workshops, the RESPOND project will now focus on the finalization of key compendiums of methods and schemes typical for corruption in public procurement, legislative favouritism, political finance, revolving doors, and media capture that will identify arenas and actors, as well as the use or lack of digital tools, that deter or allow corruption methods and schemes to continue.

The project partners will be working on the following tasks:

• CEU will develop a compendium on the most common corruption schemes in legislation, expanding on an existing framework for public procurement. This will involve a critical review of academic literature, media investigations, and case studies to help guide the creation of quantitative indicators for measuring corruption in legislation and public spending.
• UGOT will focus on lobbying and political financing, compiling a compendium that identifies common strategies used to circumvent regulations and exert undue influence on policy-making. Using data from europam.eu and case analyses, this compendium will identify key actors and methods that sustain these practices.
• UCSC – TRANSCRIME will create a typology of personal connections and revolving doors that perpetuate political corruption. Through case analysis and a co-creation workshop with investigative journalists, anti-corruption activists, and policymakers, this compendium will examine how personal relationships and career movements between public and private sectors contribute to corruption.
• KCL will focus on media capture, both in legacy and digital media, exploring how media manipulation is used to sustain political corruption. This compendium will be developed by reviewing academic literature, analyzing case studies, and identifying strategies used by actors to control media narratives and influence policy decisions.