The Leaders Summit and Political Committee Meeting of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) concluded in Oslo, the capital of Norway.
The Union of Municipalities of Turkiye (UMT) participated in the Summit and Political Committee Meeting, organized by CEMR—the largest organization representing local and regional governments in Europe—with members of the National Delegation.
The delegation, led by UMT Vice President and Mayor of Adana Metropolitan Municipality Zeydan Karalar, included Mayor of Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality Ayşe Ünlüce, Mayor of Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Ayşe Serra Bucak Küçük, Mayor of Orhangazi Bekir Aydın, Mayor of Merkezefendi Şeniz Doğan, Mayor of İhsaniye Emine Gökçe, Mayor of Terme Şenol Kul, UMT Secretary General Suat Yıldız, and Deputy Secretary General Dr. Şengül Altan Arslan.
As part of the program, the UMT delegation attended a reception hosted by Türkiye’s Ambassador to Oslo, Gülin Dinç. The reception served as a platform for exchanging views on strengthening international relations and the influential role of cities in shaping the global agenda.
Opening Session Focuses on Security and Local Democracy
During the opening session of the Leaders Summit, under the theme “Changing Global Security and Local Democracy,” participants thoroughly examined the impact of rising disinformation, external interference, threats to electoral processes, and polarization across Europe on local democracy. The session highlighted the strategic role of local governments in defending freedom of expression, the rule of law, and principles of participatory governance amid increasing pressures. It was emphasized that democratic resilience must be built not only at the national but also at the local level.
Political Committee Agenda and Decisions
Following the official adoption of the agenda, the Political Committee discussed structural matters such as CEMR’s governance model, spokesperson system, national delegation balances, and representation terms. A notification calendar for the upcoming term was also announced in line with internal regulations.
Under financial and administrative topics, the committee thoroughly addressed membership fee obligations, budget management, member engagement, and institutional sustainability. The risks posed by delayed payments from some members were underscored, along with technical evaluations related to membership status.
In the thematic section of the meeting, four updated policy documents stood out: “Better Regulation,” “Migration,” “Digitalization,” and “Agenda for Cities.” These documents were presented to Political Committee members to enhance the involvement of CEMR’s local and regional members in EU policymaking. Priority topics included access to digital services, integration of migrants into urban life, reducing regulatory burdens at the local level, and urban resilience.
The committee also reviewed recent developments in projects under the CEMR umbrella. Progress was noted in key thematic areas such as strengthening town twinning with Eastern Partnership countries under the “Bridges of Trust” project; promoting participatory governance and youth involvement in decision-making through the FOSTER and LAB projects; and establishing local solidarity networks for post-war reconstruction in Ukraine through the SUN4Ukraine initiative.
2026 CEMR Congress Postponed; Alternative Event in Turkiye Considered
The process regarding the 2026 CEMR Congress, for which UMT submitted a hosting bid, was also discussed. Due to uncertainties in Türkiye’s local governance landscape, the limited preparation timeline, and the planned scheduling of the UCLG World Congress in the same period, it was decided—by majority vote of the CEMR Political Committee—to postpone the Congress to 2027.
Before the vote, UMT Vice President and Mayor of Adana Zeydan Karalar stated, “UMT is ready to host the CEMR Congress when the appropriate time and conditions arise.” Additionally, a proposal for UMT to host a smaller-scale, thematic, and networking-oriented CEMR event in 2026 received positive feedback from participants.
Local Diplomacy and Solidarity Talks
During the summit, UMT Vice President Zeydan Karalar held bilateral meetings with CEMR Co-President and Karlsruhe Regional Chair Christoph Schnaudigel, Mayor of Stichtse Vecht (Netherlands) and VNG Board Member Ap Reinders, and Mayor of Sala (Sweden) and CEMR International Spokesperson Carola Gunnarsson.
These discussions focused on strong town twinning ties between Türkiye and Germany, the future of GIZ partnerships, digital transformation and thematic twinning models with the Netherlands, and new projects with Sweden based on climate action and past RESLOG collaborations. All parties agreed on the importance of sharing experiences and developing concrete inter-municipal projects on shared priorities such as strengthening local democracy, green transition, and migration management.
UMT Secretary General Suat Yıldız also engaged with numerous counterparts throughout the Summit, including CEMR Secretary General Fabrizio Rossi, addressing potential areas for cooperation between UMT and CEMR, preparations for the 2027 Congress, and strategic matters concerning stronger representation of Turkish municipalities in the European local governance agenda.
The second day of the summit concluded with political discussions and working sessions focused on sustainable resource management and how local and regional governments can respond to increasing resource scarcity while promoting long-term environmental and social sustainability.