ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the legal regulations concerning election campaign and party finance in France, followed by an analysis of the effect on the political culture in France of these new regulations that were the result of far reaching legislation in 1988 and 1990. The introduction of public campaign and party finance in France raises the questions of the goals which are to be pursued by public funding and whether they have been achieved. In addition to public subsidies, candidates finance their election campaign through private donations. The statements of accounts concerning the candidates' campaign costs are published in the Journal Officiel of the French Republic within ten days of the election. The funding of election campaigns and political parties through the private efforts of the party members and party supporters was previously the regular method of financing. The new laws of 1988 and 1990 concerning election campaign and party finance were long overdue.
