The Swiss Democracy Foundation in its tenth year of activity:
2025: The foundation as a global bridge builder
In its tenth year of operation, the Swiss Democracy Foundation strengthened its role as a strategic and practical bridge builder between the diverse and comprehensive democratic practices of small Switzerland and the complex and demanding challenges of the world.
Based on the understanding that, as a non-governmental social organization, it must take seriously andhelp shape the explicit constitutional mandage (BV 54.2) to "promote democracy globally."
BUILDING BRIDGES TO BULGARIA...
A central focus of the foundation's activities in 2025 was the preparation and launch of a multi-year partnership with civil society organizations in the EU and Nato member state of Bulgaria. Since the end of communist dictatorship in the late 1980s, this multi-ethnic southeastern European country, covering an area of almost 111,000 km2 and with a population of around 6.5 million, has undergone an eventful transition to democracy.
Following its accession to the Nato defence alliance (2004) and the European Union (2007), further steps toward integration have been taken in recent years: since 2025, the country has been part of the Schengen passport union and, since January 1 2026, it has also been part of the Eurozone. These steps have repeatedly been accompanied by political discord, serious corruption scandals, and widespread protests by civil society. Most recently, demonstrations by mainly young Bulgarians at the end of 2025 forced the incumbent coalition government to resign and call new elections – the eighth since 2021.
AS PART OF A THREE-YEAR COOPERATION PROJECT
Against the backdrop of these opportunities and challenges, representatives of the Swiss Democracy Foundation (SDF) have been holding talks with members of civil society organizations in Bulgaria since January 2025 about a strengthened and long-term partnerhsip and cooperation. This is also in context of the financial resources provided by Switzerland as part of the so-called "Second Swiss Contribution" to social cohesion within Europe. The SDF responded to a corresponding call together with a consortium of seven civil society umbrella organization in Bulgaria: In a highly competitive process, the project supported by the SDF to strengthen civil society was selected and will receive over 2 million Swiss francs in funding until 2028 as part of the "Swiss Contribution."
GLOBAL FORUM AND DEMOCRACY NAVIGATOR
Over the past year, as part of our two oldest and most important activities – the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy (Weltkonferenz der Volksrechte) and the Direct Democracy Navigator – the Swiss Democracy Foundation has strengthened its global networking activities and cross-border research on opportunities for participatory and direct democratic involvement at all political levels.
The next Global Forum will be held in southern Africa for the first time and will address, among other subjects, the topic of building bridges between traditional forms of direct citizen participation and modern participation in reprentative democracies.
Other important topics include the increasing global conflicts between authoritarian and democratic states, as well as the management of natural resources by modern democracies for the benefit of their own citizens. Finally, local popular rights will also be a key topic at the next Global Forum – as they are in the new "Global State of Democracy 2025" report by the network of researchers at the "Direct Democracy Navigator," which was prepared in the 2025 operating year and will be published in early 2026.
Figures and impact 2025
 |
SDF-Newsletter Subscribers | 1'000 |
 |
Connected people at SDF events | 2'000 |
 |
Members of the seven partner organizations in Bulgaria | 450'000 |
 |
Signatures for European Citizens' Initiatives | 2.7M |
 |
Employees at the Office | 2 |
 |
Members of the Board |
4 |
The 2025 activity report provides an overview of SDF publications, the International Day of Democracy event in Bern, and personnel changes at the SDF. You will also find information on the financing of the Swiss Democracy Foundation and how you can support the foundation financially.
Latest report
SDF Activity Report 2025 (in german)
PREVIOUS REPORTS
SDF Activity Report 2024 (in german)
SDF Activity Report 2023 (in german)
SDF Activity Report 2022 (in german)
SDF Activity Report 2021 (in german)
SDF Activity Report 2020 (in german)