DENMARK: Development aid funding of civil society targeted by newspaper and political parties
Between July and September 2026, the Danish newspaper Berlingske has continuously and actively targeted civil society that have received funding from the Information and Civic Engagement Fund (OpEn Fund). The grant scheme is administered by Civil Society in Development (CISU), a Danish member-based organisation for civil society organisations working on global engagement (CISU) on behalf of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The grant scheme is valued at 20.8 million DKK (approximately €2.7 million and funds more than 100 different projects on global development issues across different Danish NGOs.
Following the series of articles, right-wing parties in parliament (Venstre, Konservative, Danmarksdemokraterne, Borgernes Parti and Dansk Folkeparti) have collectively called to defund the OpEn grant scheme and questioned the work and legitimacy of organisations, including Morph Film and Female Freedom, among others. CISU has also faced political scrutiny to justify its management of the funds and the organisations receiving the funds. The right-wing parties criticised whether public development aid should be used to fund awareness-raising projects in Denmark, especially those addressing issues such as gender roles, recycling and other topics that are considered politically sensitive. Some of the critiques also centre around whether Denmark in general should have development aid.
The persistent and targeting media coverage can contribute to a more contested environment for NGOs, particularly organisations working on politically sensitive issues and working within the development aid sector. The case also raises questions about the relationship between civil society and public funding and how such sustained scrutiny could lead to a chilling effect.