How Civil Society in Europe Can Defend Itself
BLOOMBERG – The Soros-funded university in Hungary isn’t the only non-governmental organization under attack in Europe.
The Soros-funded university in Hungary isn’t the only non-governmental organization under attack in Europe.
The European Commission finally looks prepared to take Hungary to court over its crackdown on a George Soros-funded university. But while the commission’s announcement last week marks a welcome change from its previous reluctance, it is no help to many civil society organizations (CSOs) who find their rights infringed but in less high-profile ways. The commission is unlikely to go to such lengths for them; they will need to be more creative in defending themselves.
The EU may be one of the most proactive human rights defenders around the world, but it has a poor record of acting within its own borders — even as CSOs in its member states are increasingly under attack.