Aid without roots: international support and the hollowing out of party accountability

This article explores the impact of international party assistance and transnational networks on political parties in hybrid regimes, focusing on Georgia and Moldova. Using qualitative research, including interviews with party representatives and donor organisations, it argues that while such support sustains party operations, it also shifts accountability away from domestic constituencies toward international actors. In particular, opposition parties, often excluded from national media and policymaking, increasingly rely on European party networks for visibility and legitimacy. However, this reliance has limited grassroots engagement and weakens parties’ societal linkages. So while transnational alliances and party assistance provide vital resources and platforms for the exchange of ideas, they risk reinforcing donor-centric rather than citizen-centred accountability, threatening the long-term effectiveness of democracy promotion in hybrid regimes.