On the occasion of the International Day of Democracy, the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Leendert Verbeek, issued a statement stressing the importance of ensuring local and regional democracy as a general response to the current democratic backsliding in Europe:

“Democracy may sometimes be compared to a giant with clay feet. If cracks begin to appear at its base, it is the whole edifice that can collapse. Europe faces more and more recurring challenges. Successive crises are putting democracy under high stress and the responses to these challenges cannot be uniform as local conditions are very diverse. Vigilance is required at all levels of governance because democracy is never acquired for good. Therefore, it is crucial to protect and strengthen the first democratic level, which is closest to the citizens.

At the Council of Europe Summit of Heads of State and Government in Reykjavík (Iceland) in May 2023, European leaders pledged to ensure and strengthen democracy and good governance at all levels in Europe. The Congress will engage fully in this pledge by protecting the principles enshrined in the European Charter of Local Self-Government, and by observing local and regional elections to strengthen citizens’ trust in democratic processes.

The Congress will continue its work to strengthen democratic values, relentlessly, to tackle present and future challenges.”