Addressing the online General Assembly of ALDA (European Association on Local Democracy) on 25 June 2021, Congress President Leendert Verbeek stressed the negative impact of the COVID 19 health crisis on citizens’ participation in political life and their decreasing interest in elections, which was shown during the recent regional elections in France.
He outlined that it was essential to regain citizens’ trust and involve them into the political decision-making process, which is a vital element of any democratic state. “Trust between the citizens and their elected representatives is more necessary than ever to rethink our societies in the aftermath of the health crisis. It is even more essential if we want to strengthen the democratic functioning of our societies in the post-crisis renewal,” stated the President.
President Verbeek underlined the importance of co-operation between the ALDA and the Congress. Recalling that the network of Local Democracy Agencies was created at the initiative of the Congress, he stressed that ALDA is having a real success in expanding its field of action, multiplying its activities with regard to the needs supported by civil society, and to developing partnerships in support of its projects. “We are very pleased of these developments and that I would like to salute in particular the continued expansion of the network of Agencies, shown by the planned establishment of two new agencies, in Turkey and in Bosnia and Herzegovina”.
The Congress and ALDA have developed a close and long-standing relationship over the past more than twenty years, in strengthening local and regional democracy, based on the European Charter of Local Self-Government, and promoting active citizenship, which is a horizontal feature in the Congress priorities 2021-2026. The President also highlighted that both ALDA and the Congress play a key role in reinforcing dialogue and partnerships with the Balkans, Eastern European countries and the Mediterranean countries through their projects, and the Congress cooperation projects, be it in Ukraine, Armenia or in Tunisia.
