I've heard (so this is a weak second hand story) that here in the Netherlands we also have a lot of lobbying, but the less strict laws around campaign financing

I've heard (so this is a weak second hand story) that here in the Netherlands we also have a lot of lobbying, but the less strict laws around campaign financing make it less evident. I'm not sure if it's true, but it's something to think about. At the very least, it suggests that the strong laws on campaign financing in the US help pull lobbying into the light.