On 19 November 2025, the Congress together with the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) and the Catalonian authorities (Generalitat de Catalunya) organised a consultation event on the Council of Europe’s New Democratic Pact for Europe. The event was organised in Barcelona (Spain) on the margins of the CPMR’s 53rd General Assembly.
It brought together regional policymakers, youth representatives, academics, and experts to explore how multilevel governance can strengthen democratic resilience in Europe and beyond and gathered valuable input to the Pact.
“As regional authorities, we carry the responsibility to ensure that democracy principles are not only respected but strengthened at every level of governance. It must be nurtured, protected, and renewed through dialogue, participation, and trust. As Regions, it is essential for us to uphold democracy where it truly lives: close to the people,” Filip Reinhag, President of CPMR; Regional Councillor in Region Gotland, Sweden, said.
“We are not in a time for self-complacency; it is a time for clarity, commitment, and courage. Europe needs its regions to speak with honesty about what is working, and what is clearly not. Initiatives such as the Council of Europe New Democratic Pact for Europe -with its pillars of Learning, Protecting, and Innovating for Democracy- offer an important path forward”, Jaume Duch, Minister for European Union and Foreign Action, Generalitat de Catalunya, noted.
“The world is changing fast and adapting around increasingly expanding and growing technologies, and our democratic systems must adapt as well. This is the idea behind the Council of Europe’s New Democratic Pact for Europe”, Konstantinos Koukas, Vice-President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Congress Rapporteur on New Democratic Pact for Europe emphasised during the opening remarks.
During the sessions, the debates explored how digitalisation, participatory tools, innovation, and education can contribute to a more inclusive and transparent democratic model. A special focus was given to youth engagement and media transparency, highlighting the role of education and critical thinking in building democratic resilience.
Today, on 20 November 2025, Congress Vice President and Rapporteur on the New Democratic Pact for Europe, Konstantinos Koukas, presented the seminar’s key conclusions during the 53rd General Assembly of the CPMR.
Find the seminar agenda here: Agenda – International Seminar on Democracy | Barcelona, 19 November 2025 – CPMR
Contacts:
Ana Canomanuel, Director of Communications at CPMR
