Following the elections at the March 2023 session, the new Bureau of the Congress met for the first time in Strasbourg on 4 December 2023 under the leadership of the new President of the Congress, Marc Cools (Belgium, ILDG).

Congress Secretary General Mathieu Mori informed the Bureau members of the outcome of the Council of Europe budget discussions. They particularly welcomed the increase by 23% of the Congress budget for the years 2024 and 2025, the first increase in the Congress budget in more than 10 years.

The Bureau noted that this increase would help the Congress to strengthen its statutory and cooperation activities and would contribute to delivering the priorities defined by the Council of Europe’s Summit of Heads of States and Governments which took place in Reykjavik in May 2023.

This will especially be the case when it comes to the monitoring of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, election observation and the promotion and protection of human rights at local level.

The Bureau also welcomed the fact that the Centre of Expertise on good governance will be moved from the intergovernmental sector of the Council of Europe to the Congress, increasing its cooperation capacities at all levels of governance.

The adopted budget shows a renewed commitment by the Council of Europe to the role of local and regional authorities, which are key players in tackling democratic backsliding.