The 51st Congress Session of Local and Regional Authorities, whose National Delegation Secretariat is managed by the Union of Municipalities of Turkey (UMT) was held in Strasbourg, France, from October 27-29, 2026.
The session meetings, attended by the members of the Türkiye National Delegation, were also followed by the UMT delegation headed by Ayşe Ünlüce, Deputy President of the UMT, Mayor of Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality, and Member of the Türkiye National Delegation. Throughout the Session, the UMT delegation held various high-level meetings, while members of the Türkiye National Delegation took part in the sessions.
UMT Delegation Visits Ambassador Koçyiğit
The delegation, led by UMT Deputy President Ayşe Ünlüce, visited Ambassador Raziye Bilge Koçyiğit, Permanent Representative of Türkiye to the Council of Europe, at the Permanent Representation in Strasbourg.
The visit was also attended by Abdurrahman Tutdere, UMT Executive Committee Member and Mayor of Adıyaman, as well as UMT Deputy Secretary Generals Dr. Şengül Altan Arslan and Ulaş Altun. During the meeting, the delegation congratulated Ambassador Koçyiğit on her new assignment.
Turkish National Delegation Meets with Council of Europe Secretary General Berset
Members of the Turkish National Delegation in Strasbourg for the 51st Congress Session, along with representatives from the General Directorate of Local Authorities, the Association of Provinces, and the UMT, came together with Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset.
The meeting addressed Türkiye's participation in the activities of the Congress as one of the founding members of the Council of Europe, the importance of dialogue, and evaluations regarding recent developments in Türkiye.
Ünlüce Congratulates YBYK President Helgesen
UMT Deputy President Ayşe Ünlüce met with the Congress President Gunn Marit Helgesen within the scope of the Session. Ünlüce congratulated Helgesen, who was recently elected as the President of the CoE Congress. Potential areas of cooperation between the CoE Congress and the UMT were evaluated during the meeting.
Tutdere Addresses Financing of Local Resilience
Abdurrahman Tutdere, UMT Executive Committee Member and Mayor of Adıyaman, delivered a speech at the thematic debate titled "The Cost of Crises: Financing Local Resilience," held within the framework of the Plenary Session.
In his speech, Tutdere touched upon the February 6 earthquakes, the recovery process carried out in the aftermath of the earthquakes, and the importance of support from international organizations during this process.
Local Democracy and Resilience on the Agenda of the Session
The priorities of the Congress for the 2026-2031 period were discussed at the 51st Session. The sessions evaluated the strengthening of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law at the local level; supporting local authorities with powers and resources; youth participation in decision-making processes; and combating and adapting to climate change.
The meetings also addressed early warning mechanisms against democratic backsliding, the prevention of corruption and the strengthening of integrity at local and regional levels, the implementation of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, coastal erosion, school absenteeism, the financing of local resilience in the face of crises, overtourism and depopulation, cross-border cooperation, regional democratic resilience, and the impacts of the war in Ukraine on local and regional authorities. Youth participation in democratic processes and election observation reports were among the other topics discussed.
During the sessions on the final day, the implementation of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, the management of contested cultural heritage, and ensuring a healthy environment starting from the local level were addressed.