TED WG2 webinar: Civil Society at a Narrative Crossroads

Civil society is under pressure worldwide, not only from legal restrictions but also from increasingly hostile narratives designed to erode trust in democratic actors. At the recent Team Europe Democracy (TED) Working Group (WG) 2 webinar Civil Society at a Narrative Crossroads (4th of September 2025), participants and experts (from European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), Oxfam (Intermón) and European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM)) explored how disinformation campaigns, postcolonial critiques, “foreign agent” labelling and the co-opting of “democracy language,” are being deployed to chip away at legitimacy. These discursive attacks often precede formal restrictions, reframing civic action long before repression even becomes visible. 

A central theme was legitimacy. Civil society organisations (CSO) draw strength from their expertise, membership and community roots. Yet in today’s climate, these assets alone no longer shield them when authoritarian actors mobilise narratives to undermine their credibility. With 72.4% of the global population now living under restricted civic conditions, the stakes could not be higher for democracy support.

Traditional donor models, often project-focused and transactional, risk unintentionally reinforcing harmful narratives if they fail to prioritise local participation and flexibility. Donors and partners face difficult trade-offs: stepping back risks abandoning civic actors, while stepping in may be portrayed as foreign interference. Sustainable support therefore must rely on reciprocity, co-creation and long-term partnerships. Civic actors should not be treated merely as implementers of donor projects but recognised as agents in their own right, holding narratives accountable, safeguarding rights and renewing democratic resilience.

The EU’s Global Gateway illustrates these tensions. Positioned as a value-based offer, it leans on infrastructure and private-sector-led projects. Without civic-political participation, it risks replicating the very top-down approaches that fuel the narratives eroding public trust. Embedding democratic governance requires bridging silos, that between democracy practitioners and large-scale investors, ensuring that for instance Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards genuinely reflect participatory principles.

The upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) negotiations will be a decisive test. As some donors retreat, notably the US, expectations on the EU are growing. Europe cannot simply replace lost funding, but it can safeguard resources for human rights and civil society, diversify funding channels and signal through its choices that democracy remains central to external action and strategy. The message matters: reducing support/funding risks not only weakening civic actors and institutions but also sending damaging signals about international priorities.

Several imperatives emerged from the discussion: strengthen narrative resilience and digital advocacy to counter disinformation; invest in flexible, long-term, locally grounded partnerships; diversify funding sources, including through philanthropy and private-sector collaboration, to reduce dependency. Above all, embed civic participation in flagship initiatives, not as an afterthought, a mainstreaming or a box-ticking exercise.

Civil society is reinventing itself through engaging youth networks, feminist alliances, creatives and community-based initiatives that sustain democratic debate even under pressure. Team Europe must match this resilience with strategic, values-driven support. With the MFF and Global Gateway shaping the next phase of EU engagement, the moment is now to place civic voices and space firmly at the heart of Europe’s democratic agenda.