The members of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, meeting for the 31st Session in Strasbourg (France), elected Gudrun Mosler-Törnström (Austria, SOC) as President for a two-year term of office. Ms Mosler-Törnström is the first woman being elected to the Presidency of the Congress.
“The strengthening of democracy, human rights and the rule of law at local and regional level are the core objectives of the Congress. Without these values, our societies would face a decrease in solidarity and an increase in radicalisation, extremism, xenophobia and recentralisation,” she stated addressing the Congress members. Underlining that the democratic structure of the European continent is at risk, she stressed that decentralisation is one answer to these challenges. “Decentralisation is an evolving process which needs our full involvement. The work of the Council of Europe Congress is, therefore, clearly more important than ever,” she said.
The newly elected Congress President highlighted, among the main tasks of the Congress, the monitoring of local and regional democracy in member States and observation of local elections, the fight against corruption, radicalisation and violent extremism, as well as the integration of migrants and the importance of empowering rural zones. (more...)