“The New Democratic Pact is about renewal, not reinvention. By strengthening cooperation across all levels of governance, we can make democracy both resilient and relevant to citizens’ daily lives”, said Congress Vice-President Konstantinos Koukas opening the joint event on 19 November.
As democratic institutions face growing pressure worldwide - such as global and geopolitical developments that test their resilience, disinformation, erosion of local participation - regional representatives, youth organisations, and think tanks will gather in Barcelona on 19 November 2025 for the International Seminar “Stronger Democracy through Multilevel Governance.”
Co-organised by the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR), the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, and the Government of Catalonia, this seminar - held during the 53rd CPMR General Assembly - will focus on strengthening democracy through participation, decentralisation, and innovation.
The event contributes to the Council of Europe’s New Democratic Pact for Europe, which seeks to make democracy more resilient, inclusive, and responsive to citizens’ needs, especially younger generations.
The seminar will open with high-level remarks from:
- Filip REINHAG, President of CPMR; Regional Councillor, Region Gotland, Sweden
- Jaume DUCH, Regional Minister for EU and Foreign Action in the Generalitat de Catalunya
- Konstantinos KOUKAS, Vice-President of the Congress, Congress Rapporteur on New Democratic Pact for Europe
Across three interactive sessions, participants will discuss insights from regional leaders, will have an open exchange on strengthening participation and institutions as well as on tackling disinformation and technology’s role in democratic life.
Contact: Ana Canomanuel (CPMR)
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Opening Statements
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Keynote speech
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SESSION I: The State of Democracy and Multilevel Governance in Europe and the world – Challenges & Opportunities towards a New Democratic Pact for Europe |
DISCUSSION |
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SESSION II: Interactive Survey & Debate on Building Resilience, Democratic Security and Innovation for Stronger Democracy DISCUSSION |
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SESSION III: Interactive Session on Digital Information & Artificial Intelligence
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CONCLUSIONS and NEXT STEPS Summary of Main Recommendations Closing remarks
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