(AGENPARL) – gio 12 settembre 2024 Image
Ref. CG030(2024)
Democracy is built from the grassroots: Statement by the Congress President on International Day of Democracy (15 September)
“As we will mark the International Day of Democracy three days from now, let us recall that we can achieve this democratic stability only be embedding the values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law in our local and regional communities,” he continued. “The crucial role of local and regional authorities in this regard was recognised by the Council of Europe Summit in Reykjavik one year ago, with a strong mandate for action at the grassroots to uphold these core democratic values,” underlined the Congress President.
“Let us also recall that the work of building and defending democracy is never finished. All throughout history, democracy and freedom have always been under threat from their antipode – tyranny. We see it in Europe today, yet again. Our colleagues and friends in Ukraine in particular, need the expression of our solidarity and, beyond the fatigue caused by the war, in Ukraine and in the other Western countries, we must never give up on defending democracy and expressing our concrete support,” concluded President Cools.
Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
Institutional Communication Unit
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is an institution of the Council of Europe, responsible for strengthening local and regional democracy in its 46 member states. Composed of two chambers – the Chamber of Local Authorities and the Chamber of Regions – and three committees, it brings together 612 elected officials representing more than 130 000 local and regional authorities.
President of the Congress: Marc Cools (Belgium, ILDG), President of the Chamber of Local Authorities: Bernd Vöhringer (Germany, EPP/CCE), President of the Chamber of Regions: Tunç Soyer (Türkiye, SOC/G/PD).
Political groups: Group of Socialists, Greens and Progressive Democrats (SOC/G/PD), Group of the European Peoples Party (EPP/CCE), Independent Liberal and Democratic Group (ILDG), European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR).
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Council of Europe/Conseil de l’Europe, Avenue de l’Europe, Strasbourg, . 67000 France