(AGENPARL) – Fri 14 November 2025 Image
PRESS RELEASE
Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
Ref. CG081(2025)
President of Congress of Local and Regional Authorities warns against prolonged detention of mayors, as today marks 240^th day since arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mayor of Istanbul
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe is the political assembly representing local and regional governments across the 46 member States, responsible for promoting and monitoring local democracy.
“The Congress continues its dialogue with the national authorities of Türkiye and prepares a new visit in the country, including to the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, and other mayors imprisoned, to demonstrate our ongoing support for the protection of local democracy in the country,” said President Cools. 
Composed of two chambers – the Chamber of Local Authorities and the Chamber of Regions – and three committees, the Congress 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: Cecilia Dalman Eek (Sweden, 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