Our Project
Background
Lobbying activity is a cornerstone of democratic systems, given its crucial role in setting political priorities and shaping public decisions. The connection between lobbying and democracy is so intrinsic that the qualitative performance of each democratic system largely depends on its capacity to regulate interest representation effectively, ensuring transparency in decision-making, accountability of public officials, and the participation of interest groups in the political process. In recent decades, regulating the relationship between lobbies and decision-makers—addressed in an increasing number of countries worldwide—has become increasingly urgent. The crisis of political parties, the rise of new societal demands, the return of substantial public investments in the economy, and globalization have all amplified the influence of lobbies on public decision-making, increasing the risk of producing distortions that could undermine the proper functioning of democratic governance.
While both political science and legal scholarship have long analysed and classified lobbying regulatory systems based on their capacity to ensure transparency and accountability in decision-making, contemporary challenges to democracies call for ongoing research and open new, uncharted avenues of investigation
Our project aims to update and advance knowledge on lobbying regulation exploring these new avenues of investigation from a comparative law perspective, building on a previous research initiative we carried out together: the 2022-2026 Italian Project of Research of National Interest, “Lobbies and democracy. How the regulation (or lack of regulation) of groups of interests affects the implementation of social, cultural, environmental and digital rights. An evidence-based analysis of comparative law.” That earlier research was carried out in three steps: 1) surveying existing regulatory models in a number of selected democratic countries, grouped by geographical area, and examining the legal instruments governing the interaction between lobbies and the various branches of power (Legislative, Executive, Judiciary, and others); 2) analysing the impact of lobbying regulation on the implementation of fundamental rights, through case studies focusing on cultural, social, environmental, and digital rights; 3) comparing the results, juxtaposing the regulatory models with the outcomes of the case-based analysis, in order to assess the actual effectiveness of the models examined.
Objectives
Building on these previous studies, our research project aims not only to monitor, map, and reflect on the evolution of lobbying regulatory systems worldwide, but above all to continue addressing the core research question:
Does the regulation—or absence of regulation—of lobbying activity affect the implementation of fundamental rights? And if so, how?
In particular, on the basis of the findings of the comparative analysis of regulatory systems, and through the empirical and evidence-based examination of concrete case studies, the project seeks to propose a new legal classification of lobbying regulatory systems: a power-based and rights-oriented classification of lobbying regulation. This framework is constructed on two combined criteria:
- the breadth of regulation – namely, the extent to which lobbying regulation applies across the different branches of State power (measured as narrow, moderate, or comprehensive);
- the effectiveness of regulation – understood in terms of the protection and implementation of fundamental rights.
Our research also aims at the formalization of pioneering legislative proposals, inspired by comparative experiences but tailor-made for individual legal systems, to shape innovative reforms. The results of our scientific research will be shared on this open-access platform. Alongside academic publications, the project foresees international conferences, targeted calls for young researchers, and sustained dialogue between academia and institutions. By integrating scholarly insight with policy engagement, it seeks to identify effective legal institutions, inspire legislative innovation, and contribute to strengthening democratic quality. Particular attention will be given to the Italian context, where lobbying remains largely unregulated, offering concrete perspectives for reform.