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. It compares conditions for independent civil society in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. The assessment applies 20 common standards covering legal protections, political pressure, public engagement and participation in policymaking. It looks at how freely civil society organizations operate in practice, not only on paper.

The findings diverge. Poland and Hungary show paths towards democratic recovery, though political improvements have yet to become lasting institutional reform. Conditions are worsening in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, with hostile rhetoric, funding pressure and attempts to restrict foreign-funded organizations. Georgia shows the most severe restrictions documented, as legislation, administrative pressure and repression increasingly limit independent civic activity. Ukraine and Moldova show resilience despite war, geopolitical pressure and financial vulnerability.

A weakness shared across the region is that civil society struggles to influence policy, with consultation and government responsiveness among the weakest areas. The report also finds that governments can restrict civic space without formally abolishing rights, through selective funding, administrative pressure, exclusion from decision-making or hostile rhetoric. The authors call for stronger institutional safeguards, meaningful participation in policymaking and sustainable independent funding, and note the EU’s role through legal protections, funding and accession conditionality.

[The Georgia country report was prepared by the Chavchavadze Center.]

The full report and the Georgia country report are available in our Library.

https://www.chavchavadzecenter.ge/public/uploads/other/2026-11-10/5596.pdf

https://www.chavchavadzecenter.ge/public/uploads/other/2026-11-10/5597.pdf