The report published by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), titled “Civic Space Update: Enabling Civil Society to Uphold EU Values and Strengthen Democracy”, reveals that pressures on civil society organisations (CSOs) and human rights defenders have reached alarming levels across Europe. The report highlights that civic space is becoming increasingly fragile in terms of the legal environment, protection of actors, access to funding and participation in policymaking, thereby directly undermining the institutional resilience of European democracies.

Evaluating the striking findings of the FRA’s latest report and the implications of shrinking civic space for Europe’s democratic security, IKV Chairperson Dr. Ayhan Zeytinoğlu stated:

“Civil society constitutes a fundamental pillar of European democracies in terms of upholding the rule of law, protecting fundamental rights and ensuring transparency in decision-making processes. However, the FRA’s latest report dated 31 March 2026 presents a clear and alarming picture of the shrinking civic space across Europe. The fact that 75% of organisations working in the field of human rights face obstacles in carrying out their activities, and that nearly half of respondents report a general deterioration, demonstrates that the issue has evolved beyond isolated rights violations into a systemic crisis of democracy. It is unacceptable that organisations working on sensitive issues such as migrant rights, minority rights and the environment are subjected to systematic institutional intimidation through online threats, negative media campaigns and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs).”

In the continuation of his statement, IKV Chairperson Dr. Ayhan Zeytinoğlu also addressed the issues of funding constraints and the weakening of democratic oversight highlighted in the report:

“We see that one of the most critical factors suffocating civic space is the difficulty in accessing funding. As revealed by the report, the fact that 44% of organisations have faced unexpected funding cuts or freezes within the past year, and that only 7% possess financial reserves sufficient to sustain their activities for more than 12 months, represents a highly dangerous level of vulnerability. This funding problem, often instrumentalised for political purposes, brings long-term rights advocacy, judicial follow-up and public policy monitoring processes to a standstill.

In order for initiatives such as the ‘European Democracy Shield’ and the ‘Civil Society Strategy’, launched by the EU in 2025, not to remain merely on paper, it is essential for Member States to urgently establish binding consultation procedures and develop national strategies to protect civic space. As Türkiye, in our EU accession process, we must interpret this situation accurately. A pluralistic, independent and financially supported civil society ecosystem is our strongest safeguard both in combating disinformation and in embedding a culture of the rule of law. Defending civic space means directly defending our shared democratic future.”