The beginning of 2026 brought a sharp shift in the political climate for Czech civil society. Shortly after taking office, the new government presented proposals that would restrict public funding for CSOs, introduce mandatory labelling of foreign funding, and limit civil society’s access to schools and environmental policymaking. These measures closely resemble steps taken in countries such as Hungary or Russia, where similar policies have been used to systematically weaken independent civil society.
Across Central and Eastern Europe—most visibly in Hungary and increasingly also in Slovakia—stigmatising rhetoric, selective regulation and growing administrative burdens have gradually paralysed non-governmental organisations. Rather than increasing transparency, such measures divert organisations’ capacity away from public-benefit work towards coping with bureaucracy, weakening their ability to deliver services, defend the public interest and contribute to democratic debate.
Against this backdrop, Glopolis, together with the Network for the Protection of Democracy, has in recent years strengthened its systematic monitoring of civic space in Czechia. This work culminated in the national report Strengthening Civic Space in Czechia: Assessment of Conditions for Activity and Development 2025, publicly presented on 9 December 2025. The report was produced as part of the international PROSECO – Empowering Civic Space project, co-financed by the European Commission under the CERV programme, and developed in cooperation with partners from Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary and Czechia.
Based on expert panels, the report assesses five key dimensions shaping civil society’s functioning: the regulatory environment, access to funding, participation in policymaking, a safe operating environment, and organisational capacity and resilience. Its findings showed that the main risks to civic space do not stem from the absence of formal legal guarantees, but from their unpredictable application, unstable funding, excessive administrative burdens, and growing pressure through disinformation, stigmatisation and delegitimisation. Recent developments following the formation of the new government indicate that these risks are no longer theoretical but are beginning to materialise in practice.
It was therefore no coincidence that, at the beginning of 2026, more than 140 civil society organisations across sectors were able to respond quickly and jointly. Together, they issued a public statement warning that the government’s programme proposals could seriously undermine public benefit services and disrupt the long-standing partnership between the state and civil society. The statement stressed that CSOs provide essential social, health, educational, cultural and environmental services—often in areas where the state lacks sufficient capacity—and that weakening the sector would directly affect millions of people. You can read the full text of the statement, it is attached in the appendix.
This rapid and coordinated response did not emerge overnight. It built on years of relationship-building, trust and cooperation within platforms such as the NeoN network and mobilisation mechanisms developed through the Network for the Protection of Democracy. In practice, this means regular communication, early warning mechanism of so-called “Red” and “Orange Alerts” and opportunities through “Green”, and a shared understanding of emerging threats to democracy and civic space. By fostering these connections, Glopolis helps create the conditions in which civil society can act collectively, calmly and confidently when faced with pressure—before divisions deepen and the space for action begins to close.
PROSECO (Empowering Civic Space) is an international project that aims to strengthen the resilience of civil society in Czechia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Croatia. Through systematic monitoring, data-driven analysis and structured dialogue, the project maps developments in civic space and identifies risks and opportunities affecting its long-term sustainability.
The project empowers civil society organisations and their networks to better protect civic space, promote EU values and fundamental rights, and engage in meaningful dialogue with public institutions at local, national and EU level. By building national and transnational ecosystems of cooperation, sharing good practice and improving communication, the project contributes to stronger democratic standards and a more resilient, representative and visible civil society sector.
Contacts
Jana Miléřová, director of Glopolis and coordinator of the Neon network , jmilerova@glopolis.org Tereza Majerová, project manager of the Prosecco project, majerova@glopolis.org
