(AGENPARL) - Roma, 11 Agosto 2026 - Image
 
PRESS RELEASE

Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

Council of Europe Congress Spokesperson on Youth reaffirms commitment to supporting the aspirations of young people across Europe

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

"Youth participation is a cornerstone of inclusive governance, effective policymaking, and sustainable development. This is especially important in a time of continuous societal transformation, marked by democratic decline and political polarisation, and rapid digitalization and growing inequalities, which are eroding trust in democracy when it is in young people's interests to keep faith in it.

"As a milestone in promoting youth participation, the Congress adopted the new European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life in October 2025, followed by the Committee of Ministers in March 2026. This new instrument encourages the participation of young people in political processes at local and regional levels and formally recognises that "in a rapidly evolving world, the ways young people choose to participate are as diverse as they are".

"International Youth Day is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that all young people – regardless of specific circumstances, resources or life realities – can freely and effectively participate in democratic life at all levels of governance."

Contact: Congress Communication Unit ( ,

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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: Gunn Marit Helgesen (Norway, EPP/CCE), President of the Chamber of Local Authorities: Konstantinos Koukas (Greece, 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), Patriots for Europe (PfE).

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