Researchers and experts have jointly analysed causes, consequences and possible solutions to political corruption. They have done so within the framework of the conference “Putting Limits to Corruption”, organized by the Barcelona Institute of Economics (IEB), which took place at the Palau Macaya de Obra Social la Caixa

During the conference, researchers from the IEB, the University of Barcelona (UB) and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) presented different studies related to the problem of corruption. The papers analysed aspects such as the role of civil society as a mitigating factor in corruption, the weight or importance of corruption in the voting decision, the effectiveness of the public manager as a counterweight to corruption, and the effects of corruption on political fragmentation.

Administration officials and activists working in the area of transparency and anti-corruption also participated in the conference. A round table was conducted with the participation of Jordi Foz, Secretary of Transparency and Govern Obert of the Generalitat de Catalunya; Miguel Ángel Gimeno Jubero, Director of the Anti-Fraud Office of Catalonia; Simona Levi, activist and founder of XNET; and David Fernández, former member of the Parliament of Catalonia and former chairman of the committee of inquiry on the ‘Pujol case’.

Simona Levi called on civil society “to be aware that they are the vanguard and should be uncompromising.” During the discussion, there was a consensus from the participants to highlight the need to “ban” or “improve the transparency of” donations to political party foundations. Miguel Ángel Gimeno Jubero pointed out that, in any case, the “situation is better now than years ago“, although the road to be traveled is still long and “for all of them working together“.