AT A GLANCE
The BRIDGE to the CoE — Building Resilience and Independence for Democratic Governance and Engagement with the Council of Europe — is a European initiative led by ALDA to combat democratic backsliding by strengthening civil society participation. Focused on both Southern and Eastern Europe, the project enhances citizens’ engagement, fosters dialogue, and builds capacities to ensure democratic resilience. It leverages ALDA’s extensive experience and partnership with the Council of Europe to bridge civil society and democratic institutions, fostering trust, participation, and active governance.
OBJECTIVES
- Increase awareness about the role and standards of the Council of Europe in promoting democratic governance and enhancing civil society representation.
- Foster dialogue on the evolution of civic space and the challenges to democratic resilience in Southern and Eastern Europe.
- Enhance civil society capacity to participate in Council of Europe processes and engagement opportunities.
- Build connections between civil society, public authorities, and institutions to promote citizens’ active participation in governance.
CHALLENGES
Across Europe, democratic governance is facing significant challenges marked by declining civic engagement, the rise of populist movements, increased political polarisation, and a weakening of the rule of law. In Eastern Europe, countries like Moldova and Ukraine are striving to strengthen their democratic institutions amid political tensions, societal divisions, and, in Ukraine’s case, the devastation of war. Civil society in these countries plays a pivotal role, yet it is under pressure from restrictive legal environments, political harassment, and media scrutiny.
Meanwhile, in Southern Europe, long-established democracies such as Italy are experiencing a shrinking civic space, where NGOs, particularly those advocating for human rights and migration issues, face bureaucratic barriers, public delegitimisation, and limited opportunities for engagement with institutions.
These trends reflect a broader pattern of democratic backsliding across the continent. Against this backdrop, there is an urgent need to reinforce civil society’s role in democratic governance, enhance citizen participation, and promote the Council of Europe’s standards for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
The project “BRIDGE to the CoE” addresses these pressing challenges by fostering awareness, promoting dialogue, and building the capacities of civil society to engage more effectively in democratic processes.
ACTIVITIES
The BRIDGE to the CoE project will implement a series of targeted activities to strengthen democratic resilience and civil society engagement, including:
- Project management to ensure efficient coordination, quality control, and monitoring throughout the nine months of implementation.
- Hybrid workshop in Vicenza (Italy) focused on raising awareness about the Council of Europe’s role in promoting democratic governance and empowering civil society to engage through various modalities.
- Conference in Chisinau (Moldova) bringing together representatives from Moldova and Ukraine to foster dialogue on the evolution of civic space, human rights protection, and civil society participation in decision-making.
- Communication and dissemination strategy, including:
- A dedicated ALDA Talk (webinar) on democracy and civil society’s role.
- A podcast highlighting ALDA’s longstanding collaboration with the Council of Europe.
- Participation and visibility during ALDA’s General Assembly in Rome (July 2025).
- A final online event to share results and promote future collaboration.
These activities aim to build bridges between citizens, civil society organisations, and European institutions, strengthening democratic governance in both Eastern and Southern Europe.
