From Crisis to Hope in Europe

February 7, 2014
By George Soros

The European Union is in my view the shining example of an open and free society. That is why the current crisis is so personal to me. I am very concerned about Europe’s future and the potential dissolution of its open society.

In the run up to World War I or in the Weimar Republic, people did not think all those terrible things that followed could happen. But I have a particular sensitivity to these matters, because I lived under both Nazi and Soviet occupation. And I would hate to see a repeat of dark times in Europe.

I believe in finding European solutions for the problems of Europe; national solutions make matters worse. So I am hoping for some kind of pro-European political alliance emerging.

I believe in the European Union and the principles of open society that originally inspired it, and I should like to recapture that spirit.

George Soros

George Soros is founder and chair of the Open Society Foundations.

Topics

Discrimination, European Union

Navalny’s Legacy

Night Country: The Mysterious Death of Alexei Navalny in Putin’s Russia

Alexei Navalny and other demonstrators march in Moscow.

Alexei Navalny’s death underscores the paradox of Russian power—that the voice of one man imprisoned and isolated in the Arctic should be such a threat.

February 20, 2024 | Vladyslav Galushko

Rethinking the EU

In an Age of Crisis, an Opportunity to Remake the EU

Many people carry a large European Union flag.

From climate change to rising authoritarianism, Europe is facing a range of crises that threaten the way we live. The EU must seize the opportunity to reshape how it works and rethink what role it plays in a changing world.

May 8, 2023 | Goran Buldioski

Hope for Ukraine

Q&A: Forging a Future Under Fire

A woman hugging a child in front of a destroyed building

As the one-year anniversary of Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine nears, Oleksandr Sushko reflects on how civil society has managed under fire—and the challenges ahead.

February 8, 2023

Subscribe to updates about Open Society’s work around the world

By entering your email address and clicking “Submit,” you agree to receive updates from the Open Society Foundations about our work. To learn more about how we use and protect your personal data, please view our privacy policy.