Recent political developments in Central Europe demonstrate that populism and anti-democratic values continue to thrive in some new EU member states. An increasing number of governments show little interest in independent oversight of government activities, protection of minority rights, media independence and the rule of law. Public discourse in some of the new EU member states has taken a particularly negative turn with attacks against vulnerable groups and minority communities as well as against NGOs promoting tolerance and accountability. Debates within EU member states on issues such as immigration and security exacerbate negative discourse at the local level. Civil society in the region seems ill-prepared to counter these illiberal tendencies systematically and consistently.
Most think tank leaders agree that more should be done, and that liberal democratic values are at the core of their missions. However, given the current funding environment, tackling these types of issues is increasingly difficult. The Think Tank Fund (http://www.soros.org/initiatives/hrggp/focus_areas/think/) response is to establish a competitive project fund that will support established policy centers in the region to confront issues the Fund believes critical to open society.