From Exclusion to Co-Optation: Political Opportunity Structures and Civil Society Responses in De-Democratising Hungary

While it is well-known that democratic backsliding imposes a variety of challenges on civil society organisations, often assumed represses society. However, closer look at the impact organisations reveals even in countries where fairly advanced, relationship between and state more complex. Close cooperation partnership are scarce countries; might, however, range from hostility to varying forms degrees co-optation. Based interviews with representatives examination sector-specific social political environment, we aim explore factors shape Hungary. More specifically, analyse changing opportunity structures three important sectors organisations: human rights environmental women’s organisations. We argue that, seize control over government applies strategies, ranging exclusion State turn, spark different responses