The discussion about the role of NGOs and state funding for civil society organisations – the relationship between the state and civil society – is long overdue. Both politicians and civil society actors have avoided it until now. As a result, each side has a different understanding of the requirement for neutrality, there are unclear guidelines for administration, and there are hardly any transparency and evaluation criteria. In addition, the former traffic light coalition government, with its one-sided ‘democracy policy,’ turned civil society into an arena for party disputes and did not contribute to clarifying the open questions.
Now there is an opportunity for a fresh start in the relationship between the state and civil society. This must begin with the authorities, because the requirement for neutrality applies first and foremost to the state. Greater clarity in the guidelines for funding civil society organisations and greater transparency will allow for better public control over the allocation of state funds. In addition, dividing the promotion of engagement, democracy and diversity into different pots makes the political will to shape society clearer, rather than hiding it behind the label of ‘democracy policy’.
However, it is even more crucial to first improve mutual understanding between politicians and civil society organisations. One possibility would be to enter into a dialogue process that – similar to Sweden in 2008 – culminates in a public agreement. This agreement could set out a common understanding of the requirement for neutrality, specific requirements for the voluntary disclosure of the business practices of civil society organisations, and criteria for evaluation. Such an initiative would help to rediscover the value of civic engagement, strengthen social cohesion and prevent civil society organisations from being caught up in party politics.
Read the entire Monitor: ‘Staatliche Förderung der Zivilgesellschaft – Zeit für einen Neustart’ here as a PDF. Please note, to date the analysis is only available in German.
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The Monitor series deals with one main topic at a time from the perspective of KAS experts and places it in the political and social context on the basis of a few key points.
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The current main topics are “Development policy”, “Sustainability” and “Election and social research”. The contributions of these sub-series are presented for you on separate overview pages in addition to the overall series.