Video Recap: Why Civil Society Is Democracy’s Last Shield

What would it take to turn Europe’s civil society into a true line of defence against authoritarianism?

The big picture:

Civil society organisations (CSOs) are a key pillar of a healthy democracy. And yet, CSOs in Central Europe are facing existential pressures from many sides. Hostile laws, funding barriers and mistrust towards CSOs undermine democratic resilience amid regional insecurity and rising illiberalism.

Driving the story: Vice President of Res Publica Foundation Magda Jakubowska and Krzysztof Izdebski, member of the Board and Director for Advocacy and Development at the Stefan Batory Foundation and OECD Innovative Citizen Participation Network, discussed the political interference and funding challenges faced by civil society in CEE. 

State of play:

CSOs face threats from multiple fronts.

Hostile legislation like Hungary’s Sovereignty Protection Act and Slovakia’s 2025 NGO amendment turns CSOs into a vulnerable political enemy. Paired with divisive rhetoric, such as the ‘foreign agent’ term, turns CSOs into a low-hanging political fruit. 

The departure of USAID in the region leaves a funding void in scale and scope that’s difficult to fill, even with alternative sources such as the EU’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme. CEE recipients of the CERV programme also see substantially lower funding than their Western European counterparts. 

Zoom out:

Diversifying funding sources, simplifying administrative procedures and addressing restrictive legislation are key to building CSO resilience. The EU can play its role with greater CERV funding, pledging future support in EU budgets for longevity and stability, and a proactive approach against CSO-compromising national legislation. 

Yes, but: 

Is money everything? CSOs also face non-material challenges, such as public perception. Constructive rhetoric and internal structural changes can complement financial support.

The bottom line:

CSOs form a foundation for a healthy democratic society. In a period where democratic norms are under threat, the support for CSOs is ever-critical. 

SPEAKERS:

Instead of Marzenna Guz Vetter we hosted Krzysztof Izdebski –  Marcin Król Fellow 2021/2022 at Visegrad Insight and an expert at the Open Contracting Partnership.
Member of the Board and Director for Advocacy and Development at the Stefan Batory Foundation. Member of Consul Democracy Foundation’s Council. He is a lawyer specialized in access to public information and re-use of public sector information.

Magda Jakubowska – Vice President and Director of Operations at the Res Publica Foundation. She is responsible for planning, managing key ventures, including institutional cooperation and partnerships, strategic foresights’ development, and programming.

The discussion was moderated by Staś Kaleta, editor at Visegrad Insight.