Faith-Based Organisations and Poverty Governance in the Context of Democratic Decline: A Comparative Analysis of Hungary and Türkiye

Focusing on Hungary and Türkiye since the 2010s, this article analyses how illiberal governments incorporate faith-based organisations (FBOs) into poverty governance during periods of authoritarian neoliberal restructuring. While the growing involvement of voluntary actors in welfare provision is well documented, less is known about how poverty governance operates under de-democratising conditions. Using a qualitative comparative design based on systematic desk research, document analysis and interviews, the article maps nationally operating FBOs and examines their activities, discourses, and institutional linkages with the state. Despite major differences in welfare regimes, poverty statistics and religious traditions, the analysis identifies convergent patterns across both cases. FBOs have become crucial intermediaries in poverty governance through the strategic delegation in service delivery, while their role in the broader welfare system diverges. The article contributes to social policy debates by showing how poverty governance becomes a key site through which illiberal regimes reorganise welfare provision and build political legitimacy.