The OSCE back to square one? Rescuing the organization from the illusion of a CSCE-revival

Abstract

The 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act in 2025 has reignited debate on the future of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), an institution now facing what many call a terminal existential crisis. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, institutional paralysis, and waning political engagement have raised informal suggestions to revert the OSCE back to its predecessor, the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE). This article critically assesses the proposal for a ‘return’ to a CSCE-style format and argues that such regression would not resolve the OSCE’s challenges but accelerate its decline. Drawing on interviews with diplomats, policymakers, and experts, as well as analysis of institutional developments and scholarly literature, this contribution shows how dismantling the OSCE’s institutional framework would erode its normative acquis, field operations, and unique mechanisms for crisis management and prevention. Instead, we suggest that the path forward lies in preserving the OSCE’s core institutional strengths while embracing a more pronounced CSCE character that revitalizes dialogue without sacrificing hard-won capacities. The paper concludes that the OSCE remains indispensable for European security, particularly in preparing for the post-war order in Ukraine, and that its survival should be considered a prerequisite for rebuilding trust and cooperation in Europe.

About the authors

Raffael Kögel is a graduate student at Sciences Po Paris, where he is completing a Master’s degree in International Governance and Diplomacy.

Dr. Loïc Simonet is a Research Fellow at the Austrian Institute for International Affairs (oiip). Until 2021, he was Senior External Cooperation Officer at the Office of the Secretary General of the OSCE.

DOI: 1058866/EMIM3164

This article is part of the Special Issue on “The OSCE at 50: Reflections on security, cooperation and human rights”, published on a rolling basis between July and November 2025. The Special Issue was curated and edited by Walter Kemp and Christian Strohal, Security and Human Rights Monitor Editorial Board members and guest editors-in chief.