(AGENPARL) - Roma, 18 Febbraio 2026 - (AGENPARL) – Wed 18 February 2026 Image
PRESS RELEASE
Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
Ref. CG009(2026)
Council of Europe Congress reaffirms its support to Congress youth delegate ahead of his trial in Türkiye
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.
On this occasion, the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Marc Cools, made the following statement today:
“Last week, a Congress delegation on a high-level visit to Türkiye had an exchange of views with Enes Hocaoğulları, to express our continued support and solidarity. In the run-up to his trial, we reiterate our call on the Turkish authorities to drop all charges against Enes Hocaoğulları, and recall the importance of respecting, throughout Europe, freedom of expression as guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights.”
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