Defending democracy against the far right: the role of civil society

The Far Rights Growing Influence

We all want a healthy, just and toxic-free world. A world where democracy and human rights are a given, where no one faces discrimination, injustice or violence, and our ecosystems are thriving.

But getting there takes work- and much of that work is done by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations (CSOs) and local, grassroots groups.

Unfortunately, these efforts are increasingly under threat. In recent years, far-right populist groups have been working hard to discredit, defund and dismantle civil society via disinformation, smear campaigns and political manipulation.

What’s at stake here isn’t just a few individual projects, but the very foundations of democracy and human rights.

Organizations working on environmental justice, human rights, and gender equality are experiencing rising hostility from the far-right. Opinions once confined to the fringes of far-right groups are now being echoed in parliaments and mainstream discourses, as a recent study shows.  

This shift has real consequences, which are being felt worldwide: 

 

1) FUNDING CUTS 

Public funding for civil society and development groups is being slashed, like the USAID cuts by the US government or the education/development cuts by the Dutch government. According to a report by UN Women (2025), 90% of women-led humanitarian groups were heavily impacted by these cuts- from having to shut down, reduce staff or limit key services. These cuts put lives at risk and reduce vital healthcare access, particularly those in global majority countries experiencing war, violence, disasters and systemic oppression, like in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  

This isn’t just about losing jobs. It is a setback for global justice, environment and health.  

Watch our video to learn more.  

 

2) ROLLING BACK RIGHTS 

Far-right governmental groups are rolling back previously established policies which threaten human rights and environmental protection, including: 

  • Abortion access restrictions in many countries, notably the US and Argentina. 
  • Anti-Trans laws in the UK and US. 

These changes undermined decades of work towards justice, equality and healthcare access. This rollback on rights does not just affect a collective few, it affects the integrity of our global society as whole.  

 

3) MISINFORMATION AND POLARIZATION  

Far-right groups are using disinformation campaigns to spread doubt and division- fuelling mistruth in civil society. For example, a Politico fact check clearly demonstrates how disinformation about supposed “shadow lobbying” by NGOs is being systematically spread to undermine public trust in civil society participation. 

From denying the climate crisis to pushing harmful gender stereotypes- these campaigns divide communities and distract us from arriving at an environmentally sound planet and world free from oppression.  

Case study: The European People’s Party Smear Campaign  

In early 2025, Members of the European People’s Party (EPP) attacked European CSOs with a disinformation campaign in the European parliament, claiming funds were being misused for political lobbying. These claims were entirely fabricated.  

Not only were fictional amounts of money quoted, but false claims were also made surrounding the transparency adherence of CSOs- even though these transparency regulations came from civil society themselves, who were the first to adopt them. Solidar Foundation and other groups responded with a joint statement under the campaign #StopAttackingNGOs here. 

Irrespective of their fabricated claims, the goal of the EEP is a pattern we observe among far-right groups worldwide: to discredit civil society, undermining funding and threaten democracy.  

No Civil Society, No Democracy 

Civil society creates a space for public debate, drives change and expertise from a bottom-up level, holds power accountable beyond party politics, and is firmly rooted in democratic values. They bring community voices into policymaking, and focus on public good, inclusivity and justice.  

At WECF for example, our projects range from climate justice education to policy recommendation on topics like menstrual justice or toxic-free futures. We have a bottom-up approach – bringing grassroots knowledge into local and global policymaking and is firmly rooted in long-standing partnerships with feminist networks, environmental groups, youth groups, universities, research institutions, government and international organizations to ensure integrated, robust and evidence-based insights into our programmes and public debate. We aim to make sure no one is left behind – especially people who are often marginalised, such as women, LGBTQI+ individuals, young people, disabled, neurodivergent, and Indigenous peoples. 

And we lead by example: our finance and results are publicly available, because we believe in transparency and accountability (see our annual reports). Through our efforts on holding the line against the far right, anti-gender, anti-rights movements worldwide, we are defending civic spaces for women’s rights, ecofeminist and queer activism.  

Fabricated distortions by the far right therefore don’t just question the legitimacy of CSOs – they endanger the very funding streams that make the important work of NGOs and CSOs possible, and democracy itself.

What's stronger than hate? Solidarity! 

The far-rights attempts to discredit civil society threatens the very systems that allow people to organise, speak out and build a better world.  

We can’t let that happen. Solidarity is stronger than hate. Now more than ever we need: 

  • Independent, stable funding for civil society 
  • Public support to counter disinformation 
  • Continued unity and collaboration between NGOs and Civil Society across sectors and borders to hold the line on human rights and environmental justice 

Democracy doesn’t run on autopilot. It thrives on participation – and the courage to call out its adversaries. At WECF, we’re ready to do our part. To keep doing so, we need independent, visible, and public support. 

What can you do?

  • Share this article. 
  • Join the #StopAttackingNGOs campaign on social media. 
  • Are you an NGO/CSO facing attacks from the far right? Let’s connect, learn from each other and support one another. Get in touch: info@wecf.org  
  • Contact us if you are a journalist who wants to help us amplify this message : press@wecf.org 
  • Curious about our great work? Check out our annual reports- they provide a comprehensive overview of our impactful activities and finances. We believe in transparency! 

 

Together, we can push back against misinformation and fear- towards a world where justice, health and sustainability are a reality.  

How is the Civil Society standing their ground against the far right?

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