"Democracy is under threat, not only in Europe but elsewhere in the world. It is by exercising participatory and inclusive governance in our communities that we can help to protect it," stressed Congress President Marc Cools at the opening of the 48th session of the Congress in Strasbourg on 25 March 2025. "Europe is fortunately responding with a desire for unity and a strong determination to support Ukraine both militarily and politically," he added.
The President also welcomed a delegation from the democratic forces of Belarus, participating for the first time in the session. "Your presence here today is particularly symbolic, as this date of 25 March celebrates Freedom Day and commemorates Belarus's declaration of independence in 1918. I take this opportunity to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and an end to repression in Belarus," stressed President Cools.
The agenda of the 3-day session, which was opened to the sound of the European and Ukrainian anthems, features a debate on Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and Ukraine's reconstruction, with the participation of Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Communities and Territorial Development Oleksii Riabykin, Chair of the Ukrainian Parliament's Subcommittee on Administrative and Territorial Organisation and Local Self-Government Vitalii Bezghin and Special Envoy for the Reconstruction of Ukraine Davide La Cecilia (Italy).
On 25 March in the afternoon, H.R.H the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg will speak to Congress members about ending sexual violence in conflict zones, in dialogue with Chékéba Hachemi, President of "Stand, Speak, Rise Up" association.
Other highlights include debates on the situation of local and regional democracy in Georgia and on foreign interference in local and regional elections, with the participation of President of the Unghenti District Council Dionisie Ternovschi (Republic of Moldova), as well as a debate under urgent procedure focusing on the dismissal of mayors in Türkiye.
Homelessness in towns and cities, human trafficking for labour exploitation, violence against women in politics, water resources under stress and local and regional democracy around the world are among other themes of session debates, as are the Congress contribution to the UN Second World Summit for Social Development, the role of local elected representatives in protecting the environment, regional financial governance, the role of subregional-level authorities in countries with three levels of subnational government, and the role of regions in the EU accession process.
The Congress will also debate reports on the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government in Liechtenstein and in San Marino; on the observation of local elections in Podgorica (Montenegro) on 26 September 2024 and in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 6 October 2024; and of the fact-finding mission on electoral matters in Romania (23 October 2024).
Congress members will exchange views with Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O'Flaherty and Interior Minister of Luxembourg Léon Gloden on behalf of his country's Committee of Ministers' Presidency.
