Role of parliaments in national anti-corruption strategies

In line with the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, over 70 countries have issued a national anti-corruption strategy (NACS) or a set of documents that together constitute a comprehensive anti-corruption framework. Our hypothesis is that most NACS focus on traditional responses to combating corruption through more rules, compliance regimes and enforcement and are only to a limited extend promoting integrity across the public and private sector. Our first research question is to what extent the new NACS (2021-2025) in two European countries (Ukraine and North Macedonia) are aiming for strengthening the traditional, rules and enforcement regimes or are aiming for promoting integrity as well; and what have been the rationale, incentives, and relevant external context. [ref. Oxford University integrity framework]. Our second research question is how parliament is involved in the new NACS in both countries; and to what extent parliaments are “actors of change” in moving from the traditional to the new approach. The analysis will be guided by five indicators of parliament’s role regarding NACS: input in diagnosis of corruption challenges, approval of NACS, ensuring effective implementation of anti-corruption measures, monitoring and evaluating of implementation of NACS, interaction with the lead agency for coordination of NACS.