Civil society in Central and Eastern Europe

Duration 2015–2017

Institute Competence Center for Nonprofit Organizations and Social Entrepreneurship, Institute for Nonprofit Management

Department Department of Management

Anita Baralija, Kathrin Braun, Michael Meyer, Camilla Mittelberger, Clara Moder, Astrid Pennerstorfer, Nina Resch, Nicole Traxler

Civil society in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has changed enormously since the fall of the Iron Curtain. While at the time many hoped and anticipated that civil society would grow stronger, the current political situations in many CEE countries show little evidence of such a shift. Today, many governments seem to view their citizens’ commitment to civil society as undesirable opposition. This is most evident in Hungary with its controversial campaign against the Central European University and NGOs involved in refugee aid, but is also visible in Poland, Romania, and other countries where the civil society climate is growing more aggressive.

The individual country reports on the role of civil society in Central and Eastern Europe showed that only a few countries enjoyed a tolerant and positive relationship between the government and civil society, and that NGOs play an important role in lessening tensions.

The research project aimed to answer a wide range of questions, such as: How have civil societies in CEE developed over the last 30 years? Can certain patterns be identified among countries? What key institutional actors, i.e. governments, the EU, international foundations, and the media, are influencing this development, and how are they influencing it? Country reports and a comprehensive analysis of the state of civil society in the region were drafted based on a comprehensive review of existing studies and a survey of over 400 experts from 16 countries. The analysis showed that the EU in particular plays a central role in the development of civil society, as it provides candidate countries with framework conditions that strengthen civil society’s role. In this way, the EU represents an important counterweight to national and regional governments, some of which are perceived to be autocratic and corrupt, and supports the development of NGOs and civil society as a whole. A paradox in the EU’s role was also identified, as its support for the development of civil society seems to work best in countries that are still in accession negotiations. After accession, the EU’s influence on legislation, fiscal policy, and opinion making drops dramatically.

The compiled country reports formed the basis for the expansion and reorganization of the programs and content offered by the ERSTE Foundation NGO Academy, which focuses on strengthening civil society and NGOs in Central and Eastern Europe.

The study paints an up-to-date picture of the current state of civil societies in CEE and highlights the important role of NGOs. The findings have been shared in numerous presentations, media reports, conference papers, and relevant journals and other publications. The study findings served as the impetus for repositioning and extending the ERSTE Foundation NGO Academy. Founded in 2013, the ERSTE Foundation NGO Academy is the largest capacity building and training program for NGOs in CEE, with over 1,500 trainee positions, and contributes to realizing SDG 4 “Quality Education.” The Academy predominantly targets NGOs active in social services (e.g. education, health care, integration) and culture. It also provides support to over 70 flagship NGOs identified during the study. They have access to the NGO Academy’s services and will subsequently be integrated into the NGO Academy’s international network. Furthermore, the study identified a large number of local experts who were accepted into the ERSTE Foundation NGO Academy’s network as trainers. The Academy’s range of services and programs are in great demand and promote the management and leadership skills of decision-makers in NGOs. The study results thus contributed to strengthening institutions and civil society in CEE (SDG 10 “Reduced Inequalities” and SDG 16 “Peace, Justice and strong institutions”).

Literature review and empirical survey of civil societies in Central and Eastern Europe

Country reports on the tensions between governments, civil society, and NGOs

Repositioning of the ERSTE Foundation NGO Academy’s programs based on the country reports and strengthening of NGOs