Europe
Europe’s Civic Space amid Political Turmoil: New Report Reveals Diverging Trends Across Central and Eastern Europe
From democratic recovery in Poland and Hungary to mounting pressure in Slovakia and the Czech Republic and severe restrictions in Georgia, a new regional assessment reveals how political change is reshaping civil society across Europe.
Prague, 26 October 2026 – The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Central Europe and the 4liberty.eu network have published the Civic Space Report 2025/2026: Between Backlash and Breakthrough, examining the conditions for independent civil society in seven Central and Eastern European countries: Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia.
Based on 20 common standards covering legal protections, political pressure, public engagement, and participation in policymaking, the report offers a comparative assessment of how freely civil society organisations can operate – not only on paper, but in practice.
Seven countries, diverging realities
- Poland and Hungary demonstrate paths towards democratic recovery, although political improvements have yet to translate fully into lasting institutional reforms.
- Slovakia and the Czech Republic face deteriorating conditions, including hostile political rhetoric, funding pressures, and attempts to restrict foreign-funded organisations.
- Georgia illustrates the most severe restrictions documented, with legislation, administrative pressure, and repression increasingly limiting independent civic activity.
- Ukraine and Moldova demonstrate civic resilience despite war, geopolitical pressures, and significant financial vulnerabilities.
The region’s shared weakness: Governments are not listening
Beyond national differences, the report identifies a common structural problem: civil society organisations struggle to influence public policy. Meaningful consultation, government responsiveness, and the ability to shape political decisions remain among the weakest areas assessed.
The findings also show that governments can restrict civic space through selective funding, administrative pressure, exclusion from decision-making, or hostile rhetoric without formally abolishing fundamental rights.
“The recent forced closure of our Friedrich Naumann Foundation office in Tbilisi, following restrictions imposed by the Georgian government, is a stark reminder that shrinking civic space is not just a theoretical concern – it is a reality we are experiencing ourselves. Our report shows how quickly the conditions for independent civil society can deteriorate, but also that legal protections alone are not enough if civil society is excluded from political decision-making. With this project, we want to raise awareness of these warning signs and provide European policymakers with evidence to help protect civic freedoms before it is too late.”
A warning – and an opportunity – for European policymakers
The report underlines the EU’s role in safeguarding civic freedoms through legal protections, funding instruments, and accession conditionality, while Georgia demonstrates the limits of EU influence when a government turns away from European integration. The authors highlight the need for stronger institutional safeguards, meaningful participation in policymaking, and sustainable independent funding.
The Civic Space Report 2025/2026 establishes a baseline for future assessments, with plans to expand to additional European countries and track developments over time.
Media contact: Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom – Central Europe | fnf-prag@freiheit.org
