Назад Anders KNAPE elected president of the Congress

Anders KNAPE elected president of the Congress

Congress members have elected Anders KNAPE (Sweden, EPP/CCE) president of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, on 6 November 2018, for a two-year term.

“Our Congress is a political body tasked with protecting local democracy. We represent not governments but rather citizens in our towns and regions,” said the new president, emphasising the major role played by the Congress in promoting and safeguarding local and regional democracy.  “That is why the process of consulting local and regional authorities is crucial and why we must continue to engage in regular dialogue with governments,” he added.

Mr KNAPE stressed the need to provide the Congress with resources to enable it to perform its tasks and maintain the quality of its work in support of local democracy. “The Congress is the only organisation responsible for monitoring implementation of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. This monitoring work, along with the post-monitoring and election observation activities, is essential,” he explained. “We are an important part of the Council of Europe and of the system of safeguarding democracy in Europe.”

Among the key themes, he mentioned youth participation in political life, the fight against corruption, and also the pressure and threats facing local and regional elected representatives. The new President also praised the work done by the outgoing president Gudrun MOSLER-TÖRNSTRÖM, the first woman to be elected to the head of the Congress, and expressed the hope that gender equality would continue, in future, to be a priority for action for the Congress.

 

** 35th Session of the Congress **

File 35th Session - Agenda - Videos and photos - Mediabox

35th Session Strasbourg, France 6 November 2018
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The European Charter of Local Self-Government lays down standards for protecting the rights of local authorities and requires states which have ratified it to comply with a number of principles. The Congress is responsible for evaluating the application of the Charter in each Member State.

Cooperation and thematic activities complement, in the field, the normative work of the Congress. They are based on the political dialogue and the monitoring of the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, and enable the implementation of the adopted recommendations and resolutions.

The Congress periodically observes local and regional elections in Council of Europe member States and, sometimes, beyond. This activity, which may be organised in cooperation with other international organisations, complements the political monitoring of the European Charter of Local Self-Government

Post-monitoring and post-electoral dialogue aims to support national authorities in order to ensure the implementation of the recommendations adopted by the Congress and addressed to the national authorities of member states by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

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