This report examines the state of civic space in Czechia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Croatia, based on national monitoring carried out within the PROSECO project carried out by Glopolis, member of Czech ALF network, and its partners. The report assesses the conditions that enable or weaken civil society’s role in democratic life, focusing on five interconnected areas: the regulatory environment, finance and funding, participation in decision-making, safe space, and the capacity and resilience of civil society organisations.

The findings show a clear regional pattern. Civic space remains formally open, with basic rights and institutional frameworks largely in place. In practice, however, the environment for civil society is becoming more fragile. Rather than through direct bans, civic space is increasingly constrained by administrative burdens, unstable and short-term funding, political pressure, hostile public narratives, and limited protection against harassment or legal intimidation. Participation in policymaking emerges as the weakest area across the region: consultation mechanisms often exist, but they rarely ensure meaningful influence on final decisions.

The report highlights diverging national dynamics. Slovakia represents the most severe case of systemic pressure on civil society, while Czechia has become a new area of concern following rapid post-election shifts in early 2026. Croatia faces a more gradual erosion marked by political polarisation, strategic neglect and weak policy frameworks. Slovenia remains comparatively stable, but still shows structural weaknesses, particularly in the quality of participation and long-term support.

At the same time, civil society across the region demonstrates considerable resilience through networks, coalition-building, advocacy, strategic communication and public mobilisation. Yet the report underlines that resilience cannot substitute for an enabling environment. Protecting civic space requires meaningful participation, stable and accessible funding, stronger safeguards against stigmatisation and legal harassment, and political recognition of civil society as a legitimate democratic actor.