Andorra Government and Media Profile

Andorra Political Orientation

Government

Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Leader: Prime Minister Xavier Espot Zamora
Political Party: Democrats for Andorra
Political Position: Center-Right

Press Freedom

MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: 84.03 – Mostly Free
World Press Freedom Rank: Andorra 37/180

In 2015 The U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network named Banca Privada d’Andorra “a Foreign Financial Institution of Primary Money Laundering Concern.” In 2021, global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) reports, “Andorra is now “compliant” with 9 of the forty FATF recommendations, “largely compliant” with 28 recommendations and “partially compliant” with three recommendations.”

The Reporters without Borders World Press Freedom Index ranks Andorra 37/180, pointing out money-laundering and tax evasion scandals and states that the “biggest media outlets receive a great deal of state advertising.” In addition to a lack of transparency between government and media.

Media Ownership and Government Analysis

Due to its geographical proximity to France and Spain, Spanish and French media outlets influence and shapes Andorra’s media landscape through “the majority of television transmissions being provided through technical accords with the Spanish and French government networks.”

The media landscape of Andorra is diverse. There are privately-owned dailies such as El Periodic d’Andorra (owned by Spanish Prensa Ibérica Media, SL) and Diari d’Andorra (owned by Premsa Andorrana SA.) Ràdio I Televisió d’Andorra, S.A. is the state-owned public television and radio broadcaster controlled and funded by the Government of Andorra.

Freedom House reports, in Andorra, “Business, political, and religious interests heavily influence media coverage. Reporting on the activities of Andorra’s banks is particularly difficult,” and “No law exists to provide public access to government information.”

In summary, the financial sector, Church, and government significantly influence the media, with a lack of transparency being a fundamental problem for media consumers.

Country Rating Methodology

Last Updated on May 12, 2023 by Media Bias Fact Check