2023-08-21 13:30:00
NGO – The charity organization Open Society Foundations (OSF), founded by billionaire George Soros, pulls most of its business out of Europe. Led since last June by his son Alexander, OSF has announced a “new strategic direction” pour “focus on other parts of the world”. The decision will be accompanied by the dismissal of 40% of the global staff of this foundation. If this arouses the concern of many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) of human rights, some do not fail to rejoice.
George Soros, whose real name is György Schwartz, of Hungarian origin and of the Jewish faith, emigrated to the United States after the Second World War to become an entrepreneur, trader and financier.
In 1992, thanks to a bold position on a short sale against the pound sterling, he became a multi-billionaire. It can then give new impetus to l’Open Society Foundations, a set of philanthropic foundations that he created in 1979.
The main purpose of this organization is to lead the fight against discrimination, to defend the rights of minorities and the right to education. But in the broad sense, Soros’ project is to support the concept of “open society” dear to the philosopher Karl Popper. It is a matter of granting international financial support for the development in the world of individual freedom, the rule of law and democracy, pluralism and liberalism.
Over the past three decades, OSF has spent more than $19 billion on programs for organizations linked to the protection of human rights, for example of the Roma minority or migrants. In addition, George Soros, who in the early 2000s became one of the greatest American fortunes, was one of the main donors of the Democratic Party American and other related political associations.
Until 2021, OSF employs nearly 800 people across more than 20 countries. In June 2023, George Soros, also a regular contributor to the much criticized World Economic Forum (WEF), ceded control of the $25 billion foundation to his son, Alexander.
Aged 37, the latter was elected in December 2022 to head the board of directors, reduced to a narrow circle dominated by members of the Soros family. The new management is in charge of implementing a “profound structural change” already planned by Soros Sr. The decision to end a large part of OSF’s activities within the European Union (EU) is the first announcement from the billionaire’s son.
Dismissal of 40% of employees
In an email relayed on August 15 by ReutersOSF justified this first decision. “The approved new strategic direction provides for the withdrawal and discontinuation of much of our current work within the European Union, shifting our presence and resource allocation to other parts of the world”is it written in the email.
This withdrawal is a choice “forward-looking, anchored in future opportunities to make a significant impact”. Another point raised by l’email : competition from EU institutions and governments that “spend substantial sums on programs promoting human rights, freedom and diversity”.
Is this the end of Soros subsidies in Europe? Not according to the same email, nor the new boss of the foundation. OSF “will continue to support civil society groups across Europe, including those working on EU external affairs while maintaining support for European Roma communities”, reports Reuters. In a statement sent to the same British agency, Alexander Soros explains that “The OSF is changing the way it works, but my family and [la fondation] remain firmly committed to the European project”.
What does this “strategic change” ? Few details have been released. Alex Soros first announced a layoff of 40% of his global staff. The European continent is the most affected since 80% of the 180 employees of the OSF headquarters in Berlin will be fired. Same for the Brussels offices as well as the Barcelona branch, which will be closed. In Eastern Europe, only 3 out of the 7 branches present will be maintained. These are those of Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine and Moldova.
This “strategic structure” is welcomed neither by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) nor by observers of the European political scene, a sign that it is hardly appreciated.
Soros, persona non grata
The announcement of this “change” by Alexander also comes at a time when right-wing parties are gaining ground in Europe, particularly in Eastern European countries such as Poland. Alberto Alemanno, Italian lawyer and former Young Global Leader of the WEF, believes that the “OSF’s decision to scrap its EU-based initiatives could not have come at a worse time for the institution and its civil society.”
If funding for the Soros foundation were to decrease, he believes, they would leave “a void that could soon be filled by right-wing conservative philanthropists, especially in Poland and Italy.”
The decision by the Open Society Foundation to cut its European Union-based initiatives couldn’t come at worse time for the EU & its civil society. As such, it is set to generate many unintended consequences.
Here’s a ????#Soros #OSF #philanthropy
— Alberto Alemanno (@alemannoEU) August 16, 2023
In Hungary, George Soros, where he is from, the OSF no longer welcome since 2018, the year in which the Budapest branch was transferred to Berlin under pressure from Prime Minister Viktor Orbàn. The latter has repeatedly criticized his “first opponent”, considering it as a “very influential shadow figure” which seeks to compromise, through its support for migrants, the policy of the right-wing Fidesz party.
The Hungarian Prime Minister’s political adviser, Balázs Orbán (unrelated), also reacted in an X post (ex-Twitter) to OSF’s announcement. Qualifying this foundation “d’empire Soros”he especially expressed his wish to see the foundation withdraw all its activities from the EU. “We will only truly believe that the occupation troops have left the continent when the last Soros soldier has left Europe and Hungary”did he declare.
We’ve heard the news about the Soros empire.
When it comes to such matters, we Hungarians have our historical insights: We only truly believe that the occupying troops are leaving the continent when the last Soros soldier has left Europe and Hungary.
Yet, we remain a long…
— Balázs Orbán (@BalazsOrban_HU) August 14, 2023
In Central Europe, George Soros has been accused “interference” through OSF by many governments. He himself has revealed that his foundation has played a “important role” between 2013 and 2014 in the Euromaidan events, pro-European demonstrations in Ukraine, hostile to ex-president Viktor Yanukovych. The billionaire is equally criticized by the right in the United States, who accuse him of financing a liberal policy on morals and of having even financed the large-scale riots taking place after the murder of George Floyd in 2020.
Saying in an interview with Wall Street Journal that he shares “his father’s values”Alexander Soros said to himself “more political”. Was the lobbying carried out until then by George Soros a point of contention with his son? The restructuring of the OSF foundation, considered “increasingly bureaucratic“should in any case allow his new boss to broaden the actions of the foundation with politicians, in particular on issues of abortion and gender equality. “As much as I like to take money out of politics, as long as the other side does it, we should do it too,” he asserted.
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