Newsroom
Congress Standing Rapporteur on Human Rights calls on Oradea authorities to ensure Pride March can proceed safely
“The Congress is concerned by reports coming from Oradea, Romania, that local authorities may once again refuse permission to the Oradea Pride March, scheduled for 25 July 2026, marking the fourth consecutive year in which the event faces significant obstacles”, stated Congress Standing...
Congress at the UN: Sustainable development requires democratic security and multilevel governance
“The Sustainable Development Goals will not be achieved in conference rooms alone. They will be achieved - or not - in our neighbourhoods, our towns, our cities and our regions. Every Sustainable Development Goal ultimately has a local address,” underlined Congress President Gunn Marit Helgesen...
E-governance in action: Ukrainian municipalities exchange good practices in Ternopil
On 13–14 July 2026, Ternopil hosted a two-day thematic session of the Community of Practice on Transparency, Accountability and Citizen Participation dedicated to advancing e-governance and e-democracy tools. Organised with the Congress support, the event brought together representatives of more...
Ukraine’s first metropolitan citizens’ assembly in Lviv delivers 19 recommendations to protect water resources
The Lviv Agglomeration has successfully concluded Ukraine’s first-ever metropolitan citizens’ assembly, organised with the Congress support and focused on the sustainable preservation and use of water resources. Over three intensive sessions of learning, deliberation and joint work, local...
Empowering the next generation of local leaders for a democratic Belarus
From 7 to 9 July 2026, 28 representatives of the Belarusian democratic forces and civil society, as well as experts and the Congress Rapporteur for a democratic Belarus, Belinda Gottardi (Italy, SOC/G/PD), met in Strasbourg for the third edition of the workshop “Leaders for change: Promoting...
Congress Director welcomes the commitment of Italian local authorities to good democratic governance
In these turbulent times where democratic foundations are challenged, the European Label of Governance Excellence (ELoGE) is offering Italian local authorities an opportunity to engage with citizens and restore their faith in democratic institutions. At the 3rd national ELoGE award ceremony in...
Congress Rapporteur: Local and regional authorities bear key responsibility for fighting intolerance
“The Congress is active on a wide range of anti-discrimination issues, fighting intolerance and strengthening human rights delivery in municipalities and regions,” underlined Martine Dieschburg-Nickels (Luxembourg, ILDG), Deputy Standing Rapporteur on Human Rights of the Congress, addressing the...
Putting human rights at the heart of Ukraine’s local governance and recovery
Rebuilding Ukraine is about far more than restoring physical infrastructure; it is about embedding fundamental human dignity and rights into everyday local governance. This was the driving message in Kyiv on 2 July 2026, during the round table “Human Rights in Local Governance: Challenges and...
New website launched for the European Local Democracy Action
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has launched the website of the European Local Democracy Action (ELDA), a new digital platform dedicated to promoting citizen participation and innovation in local democracy across Europe. ELDA was established by the Congress...
Monitoring Committee: third-party intervention in the case of İmamoğlu vs Türkiye
Meeting in Oslo on 30 June 2026, the Congress Monitoring Committee decided to request that the Congress be invited to submit written observations as a third party in the case of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu lodged before the European Court of Human Rights – a first time ever that the Congress...
Oslo Declaration: Crisis preparedness of cities and regions is a foundation of democratic security
On the occasion of the meeting of its Monitoring Committee in Oslo, Norway, the Congress and the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS) held a seminar on 29 June 2026 on democratic preparedness at local and regional level, a contribution to the New Democratic Pact for...
Youth Innovating Democracy: Congress leads a workshop on an eco-system for youth participation
“Deliberative democracy, involving citizens’ assemblies, is an innovative approach that goes beyond mere citizen consultations, and provides space where citizens’ voices – including those of young people – can be heard,” underlined Congress Director Claudia Luciani at the workshop ““Empower...
Congress Secretary General at URC: Local democracy is a prerequisite for resilience and recovery
“Ukraine’s decentralisation reform proved to be one of its greatest strategic assets during the full-scale invasion, allowing local leaders to safeguard utilities, protect communities, and co-ordinate immediate relief,” stated Congress Secretary General Mathieu Mori at the Ukraine Recovery...
Congress at the Ukraine Recovery Conference: local and regional authorities are true actors of change for their country’s reconstruction
“Ukraine’s path to recovery and its accession to the European Union are inherently local processes. Over 70% of the EU acquis is implemented at the local and regional level. Ukraine’s sustainable recovery requires a robust, decentralised framework where local authorities are recognised as...
Congress steps up support for human rights at local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina
“Democracy and human rights at local level are fundamentally intertwined: democracy is most meaningful when it delivers rights and protections to all in our communities. Building trust and social cohesion depends on the realisation of human rights in everyday life” stated Claudia Luciani,...
Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance publishes its 2025 Activity Report
The Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress has released its 2025 Activity Report, presenting its co-operation and assistance activities supporting democratic governance, decentralisation and citizen participation across Europe. In 2025, the Centre implemented 14...
Congress to examine the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Georgia
A delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, composed of rapporteurs Anders Knape (Sweden, EPP/CCE) and Urs Janett (Switzerland, ILDG) will carry out a monitoring visit to Georgia from 23 to 25 June 2026 to assess the application of the European...
Congress in Monaco: Gender equality in political life in the centre of discussions
On the occasion of the Congress Bureau meeting in Monaco, the Congress and the Monegasque authorities have organised, on 19 June 2026, a conference under the theme “Gender equality in political life and institutions”, including a round table on “The place of women in political and institutional...
From our towns to the world: we must keep alive the promise of safety for refugees
“On this International World Refugee Day, we commend the crucial role of local and regional authorities in receiving and integrating refugees in their communities. They stand as the first point of support for those seeking safety for themselves and their families. By providing inclusive services...
Local and regional authorities have key responsibilities for citizenship education, Congress says
“Citizenship education is crucial for rebuilding trust in democracy, and local and regional authorities have an important role in educating citizens in democratic values,” stressed Paolo Beltraminelli (Switzerland, EPP/CCE), Vice-Chair of the Congress Governance Committee, opening the webinar on...
