Hosted by

Tineke STRIK

Member of European Parliament

Vice-Chair, LIBE Committee

Greens/EFA Group

GroenLinks-PvdA (NL)

Michał WAWRYKIEWICZ

Member of European Parliament

EPP Group

Independent (PL)

Krzysztof ŚMISZEK

Member of European Parliament

S&D Group

Nowa Lewica (PL)

Sophie WILMÈS

Vice-President of the European Parliament

Renew Europe Group

MR (BE)

Konstantinos ARVANITIS

Member of European Parliament

The Left Group

SYRIZA (EL)

About the Event

The European Union is founded on the principles of the rule of law, democracy, and respect for human rights. These fundamental values are central to the governance of cities across Europe, as citizens directly experience the impact of laws and policies at the local level. When rule of law standards are not upheld, cities can face significant challenges that hinder their ability to function effectively and serve their communities.

At the same time, cities play an essential role in upholding democracy, human rights, and the rule of law at both the local and international levels. As hubs of civic engagement and innovation, European cities are uniquely positioned to strengthen democratic institutions and protect fundamental freedoms. This is why it is crucial to explore how EU policies can better support cities to strengthen rule of law mechanisms and democratic governance.

This event brings together European mayors, Members of the European Parliament, the European Commissioner for Justice, and leading experts to discuss the critical intersection of urban governance and the rule of law. Organised in collaboration with the mayors of Amsterdam and Budapest, representing the Pact of Free Cities, this event will examine how cities can be empowered to defend democratic values and how the European Union can enhance its support mechanisms for local authorities.

Programme

Speakers

Femke HALSEMA

Mayor of Amsterdam
Netherlands

Gergely KARÁCSONY

Mayor of Budapest
Hungary

Haris DOUKAS

Mayor of Athens
Greece

⭐ Keynote

Michael McGRATH

European Commissioner
Democracy, Justice, Rule of Law
and Consumer Protection

Florian GEYER

Head of the Rule of Law Unit
DG JUST, European Commission

Laurent PECH

Professor of European Law
Head, Law & Politics Department
University College Dublin

Gülçin BALAMIR COŞKUN

Associate Professor
Political Science
Humboldt-Universität Berlin