In Brussels, NGOs are embarrassed by the withdrawal of the Soros Foundation’s announcement

Letter from Brussels

“It was a shock. Total surprise », slips, still bewildered, Nick Iosa, interim director of Transparency International’s European office, one of the continent’s largest NGOs fighting rule of law and corruption. In late June, the Open Society Foundation (OSF), created by George Soros, decided to abandon forty years of investment in civil society in the heartland of Europe and redirect its funding to Ukraine, Moldova, and the Balkans. and the rule of Rome.

“As the Open Society Foundations reorganize the way it works globally, we are reorganizing our priorities in Europe accordingly. Yes, this means we will drop some areas of work to focus on the challenges of today and the challenges we face tomorrow.”Explained at the end of August at a forum in PoliticsAlexander Soros has taken over the management of the foundation. Yes, we will significantly reduce our workforce and try to ensure that the most money goes where it is needed. »

in Brussels, “We are yet to get a clear communication from the trustAs Nick Iosa points out though. We learned about it from the press this summer. » Can transparency still get this funding, which accounts for a third of NGOs’ budgets? Currently, there is uncertainty. “We have to get the planned funding by the end of next year. Then, we don’t know.”, believes Carlotta Bezosi, director of the European Network Civil Society Europe. Contacted by the worldThe foundation does not respond to these specific points, but limits itself to affirming OSF “Continues to fund civil society groups across Europe”.

An almost unique place

Each year, the Soros Foundation funds more than $200 million to countless NGOs working to strengthen civil society, protect LGBT rights, promote voluntary termination of pregnancy, and assist immigrants. But the revision of the strategy, whose reflection dates back three years and came under the leadership of George’s son Alexander Soros, led to a change in priorities.

As of 2020, the Foundation is undergoing a global restructuring. Specifically, it decided to reduce its workforce worldwide from 1,600 in 2021. And the role of the European Union (EU) was reduced to its minimum. The foundation has already eliminated an office in Barcelona and is in the process of reducing staff by 60% in Brussels (30 people) and 80% in Berlin (150 people).

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