Home / Governance and citizenship /

Governance and citizenship

In-depth news News in brief Press releases Best practices

Back to all news in brief

Local democracy - 04.06.2014

71% of French citizens trust their local elected representatives more than central governments
This number even reaches 78% within rural areas, according to a survey (in French) led by the French Institute of Public opinion (IFOP). Only 21% of respondents declared putting more trust in the central government.
City life - 20.05.2014

See European cities through the eyes of their citizens
Barcelona, Hamburg, Paris, Rotterdam, Lisbon and many others: check out the best pictures of European cities taken by their citizens or photography aficionados! This collection has been launched by the newspaper the Guardian to offer an original and intimate perspective on big cities all over the world.

You find the project interesting? Share your pictures on Instagram with the tag #guardiancities. The Guardian will select the very best ones and feature them on its website!
European elections 2014 - 07.05.2014

A promise is a promise: the manifesto is now available in Portuguese!
We would like to thank all the associations who helped us to publish the local and regional governments’ manifesto in 9 different languages: English, French, Czech, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian and Spanish.

Is your language not listed? Contribute to its translation and ensure that the local government’s messages are heard by the future members of the European Parliament in their mother tongue. Interested? Feel free to contact the secretariat general.
Mayors Challenge - 29.04.2014

Discover the 21 best projects proposed by European cities in 2013-2014
Bologna, Athens or Gdansk, among other cities, will compete for the first place of the Mayors Challenge. This award, organised by Bloomberg Philanthropies, and supported by CEMR, will reward the 5 cities leading the most innovative projects addressing Europe’s most important issues, such as youth unemployment, environmental matters or public health.

The winner will be announced in Autumn 2014 and will receive 5 million euros - the four finalists will receive one million each.

Discover the 21 shortlisted projects on Mayors Challenge’s website!
European elections 2014 - 24.04.2014

The local governments' manifesto is now available in Czech and Romanian!
With only 30 days to go until the European Parliament elections, we are pleased to inform you that the local and regional governments’ manifesto is now available in two new languages: Czech and Romanian. European policy-makers can now hear the local government’s voice in 8 different languages … and shortly in 9 (a Portuguese version is being finalised)!

Why would municipalities and regions matter to you? Check out the local government’s video for the European elections and find out!
European elections 2014 - 09.04.2014

"We are not sexy and we know it", a video to watch with no hesitation!
Looking for reasons to vote in European elections? Find some answers in this striking video "We are not sexy and we know it".
European elections 2014 - 04.04.2014

You can now read the local government’s manifesto in German and Italian!
Thanks to the support of our member associations’, the manifesto now exists in 6 linguistic versions: German, Italian, English, French, Polish and Spanish.

Read the interview with our Secretary General, Frédéric Vallier and know more about the reasoning behind the manifesto. You can also get further information by joining the debates on twitter with the hashtag #myEUvoice.
French municipal elections - 31.03.2014

Anne Hidalgo becomes the first woman mayor of Paris
Anne Hidalgo was elected mayor of the French capital this Sunday 30 March 2014 after the second round of municipal elections. She will hold this position for the 2014-2020 period.

Anne Hidalgo is also co-president of our global organisation, UCLG, and president of UCLG Standing committee on gender equality.

In the framework of the municipal elections, a new edition of the guidebook Understand the municipal life (in French) was published. This volume is prefaced by an introduction written by our President, Annemarie Jorritsma, and our secretary general, Frédéric Vallier. It presents and analyses the local government functioning in France.
European elections 2014 - 27.03.2014

The manifesto is available in Polish!
You will now be able to read the local and regional governments manifesto in 4 different languages: Polish, English, Spanish and French.

Have a look at our video and discover our elected representatives' proposals for an EU that really meets the citizen’s needs. Keep sharing your ideas with us on Twitter with the hashtag #myEUvoice.