This week, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has adopted several early-warning instruments against democratic backsliding at local and regional level, as its contribution to the Council of Europe's New Democratic Pact for Europe.
"We are concerned about the situation in Europe, because we see signs of democratic backsliding. When youth and other citizens are protesting, we need to be aware that this is something we need to listen to restore confidence in democratic institutions. Every item on this week's agenda has been about what can we do to address different problems Europe faces today: overtourism, coastal erosion, freedom of expression, lack of school attendance. There are all issues where subnational authorities can make a real difference," said Gunn Marit Helgesen, Congress President, following the final debate of the 51st session of the Congress.
"I am glad that at this session we have looked at many issues that are undermining democracy, through the optic of local and regional self-government".
Risk-alert dashboard on local and regional democracy
The Congress adopted a "Risk-alert dashboard on local and regional democracy", presented by Kirstine Bille (Denmark, SOC/G/PD) and Kristoffer Tamsons (Sweden, EPP/CCE). The dashboard is intended to serve as a structured early-warning mechanism at the sub-national level, designed to identify emerging threats to local and regional democracy before they become entrenched and cause irreversible damage.
The dashboard translates existing European standards into a practical set of guiding questions and key indicators, organised around nine thematic areas: local autonomy and institutional safeguards; financial autonomy; electoral integrity; the free exercise of local office and political opposition; administrative neutrality; civic space and participation; the rule of law and the multilevel checks and balances; violence, intimidation and hate speech; and local media. The indicators enable comparative assessment over time, allowing users to identify developments, detect emerging risks and track trends, thereby contributing to early warning and prevention.
The Congress underlined that this tool was not limited to identifying warning signs. Rather, it is also intended as a gateway to the corrective measures implemented by the relevant authorities and stakeholders, in order to halt and reverse decline and reinforce local democracy.
Observers of local and regional elections need support
The Congress also debated a report on the status of national and international observers in local and regional elections in the 46 member States, presented by Stewart Dickson (United Kingdom, ILDG). The report underlined that election observation, whether domestic or international, plays a vital role in safeguarding the integrity of local and regional elections. Election observation strengthens transparency, accountability and public trust, supports citizens' political participation and helps protect fundamental rights and freedoms. It is also an important tool for identifying emerging risks to grassroots democracy, sharing good practice and supporting improvements in electoral systems.
The report expressed concern that national rules governing election observation vary considerably and were not always effectively implemented. It also underlined the increasingly challenging environment in which observers operate, particularly for domestic observers who can face a shrinking civic space, threats and other forms of pressure.
In the adopted recommendation, the Congress endorsed the 2026 Paris call to action on election observation and called for stronger legal and practical guarantees for observers - including clear recognition of their status and rights, unhindered access to all stages of the electoral process, transparent accreditation procedures, the ability to submit complaints and effective protection against threats or restrictions. Member states were also encouraged to systematically invite the Congress to observe relevant local and regional elections and to ensure meaningful follow-up to observation findings.
Checklist on preventing corruption
Finally, the Congress adopted a "Checklist on preventing corruption and promoting integrity at local and regional levels", presented by Aisling Moran (Ireland, SOC/G/PD) and Romek Kosenkranius (Estonia, ILDG). The document recognises that corruption at the sub-national level - including bribery, nepotism, misuse of funds, and manipulation of administrative processes - undermines institutional trust, threatens human rights, diminishes service quality and weakens democratic governance. It underscores the importance of robust institutional frameworks and a culture of integrity, taking into account specific vulnerabilities such as limited resources and weaker oversight mechanisms within local and regional bodies.
Developed alongside the monitoring focusing on subnational authorities by the Council of Europe's Group of states against corruption (GRECO), the checklist provides practical self-assessment criteria for local and regional authorities in areas such as anti-corruption strategies, standards of conduct, conflict of interest management, public procurement, transparency and citizen engagement. The Congress stressed that systematic use of the checklist by local and regional authorities should reinforce accountability, enhance transparency, and foster ethical leadership at the grassroots level, thus reinforcing public trust in democratic governance.
What kind of democracy do you want for Europe? Have your say
What is the New Democratic Pact for Europe
Learn more about the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
