“Cities are laboratories for solutions”

Pol Morillas (CIDOB), MEP Hanna Jalloul and local leaders reflect on the current geopolitics and its effects in Europe, global disorder, and why local leaders matter more than ever

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At a time when global politics is increasingly shaped by power rivalries and zero-sum logic, cities and regions may appear peripheral to the big geopolitical chessboard. But according to Pol Morillas, Director of CIDOB (Barcelona Centre for International Affairs), this perception is deeply misleading.

Speaking at a UCLG gathering of the European section, alongside MEP Hanna Jalloul, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, and representatives from municipalities and regions across Europe, Morillas offered a sharp diagnosis of the global moment, and a compelling argument for why local and regional leaders are essential actors in Europe’s response to it.

“We are entering a world we were not built for”

Morillas describes 2026 as the year when “brutal geopolitics” has fully taken shape. 

“We are not living in the world the European Union wanted”, he explained. “The open markets, rules-based globalisation, and cooperative multilateralism that Europe championed are giving way to power politics, transactional alliances, and the return of the state as the dominant actor”. 

This shift goes beyond any single election or leader. While the return of Donald Trump to the White House has accelerated trends, Morillas sees a broader transformation driven by major powers — including China and India — embracing national interest and zero-sum competition. 

In this emerging order, actors are reacting differently. Some are accommodating. Some are resisting, particularly youth movements across the globe. Others are disoriented. 

“And the European Union”, Morillas noted, “is navigating this disorientation”. 

Europe’s three strategic choices

According to Morillas, Europe is currently debating three broad strategies:

1. Keep the United States engaged, even if it requires tactical appeasement, especially in areas like security and intelligence where Europe lacks full autonomy.
2. Build new alliances with middle powers such as Japan, India, and Mercosur countries to preserve elements of a rules-based order.
3. Pursue greater autonomy, particularly in areas like technology and geo-economics — though, as Morillas cautioned, “there is often more talk of autonomy than real action”.

These strategies coexist, sometimes uneasily, as Europe attempts to redefine itself in a harsher global landscape.

But this is only part of the story.

New diplomatic opportunities for cities and regions as “laboratories for finding solutions”

While geopolitics grabs headlines, Morillas argues that some of the most urgent crises are concentrated in cities and regions and that is precisely where their diplomatic relevance lies. “The role of cities and regions will be most important when they are laboratories for finding solutions to crises that are most held in cities and regions”, he said.

He pointed specifically to:

• Housing
• Cost of living
• Energy
• Youth mobilisation and the response to young people’s demands

“These areas are far away from brutal geopolitics and do not have defence as their main component”, Morillas explained. “They are low-hanging fruits for cities and regions to play an interesting diplomatic role”.

In other words, while states compete over security and strategic dominance, local governments are managing the everyday pressures that shape citizens’ trust in democracy. Their ability to innovate and respond effectively becomes a form of diplomacy in itself.

Youth mobilisation and democratic response

Morillas also underlined a growing global trend: youth resistance to national political systems perceived as unresponsive.

“We are seeing increasing numbers of young people resisting national politics and proposing alternative models of understanding society”, he said.

For cities and regions, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Local governments are often the first institutional level confronted with youth demands — from climate action to housing affordability. The quality of their response will shape democratic resilience in Europe.

A multipolar world, including the local level

The global order’s fragmentation is also reshaping inter-city cooperation. The CIDOB director pointed to new forums emerging beyond traditional Western-led networks, including initiatives linked to BRICS+.

“This multipolar world also takes place within regions”, he observed. “European cities and regions need to be aware of these new forums”.

Global alignment is no longer only a matter for foreign ministries. It is increasingly reflected in how cities cooperate, partner, and position themselves internationally.

From consultation to co-decision in Europe

Perhaps most significantly, Morillas sees cities and regions gaining weight within the European architecture itself. “It is not only a question of member states”, he argued. “Cities can play an important role in the European architecture — sometimes only as being consulted but increasingly having something to say about the future of European integration”.

From housing initiatives to urban energy transitions, European policy debates are increasingly touching areas where cities have primary competence.

To advance this agenda, CIDOB has launched the “Local Europe” initiative with the support of Barcelona City Council, aiming to reinforce what Morillas calls “the Europe of cities”.

The underlying message is clear: the future of European integration will not be decided solely in national capitals.

How should local leaders look at the world?

How, then, should local and regional leaders look at the world — and how are they perceived within it? 

The discussion made clear that towns, cities and regions are no longer peripheral actors but central pillars of Europe’s global credibility.

In a geopolitical environment marked by ideological confrontation and democratic strain, consistency between local governance and global ambition becomes decisive. “If we would like Europe to be a strong global actor, we must be consistent both internationally and locally”, she stressed.

Echoing this call for coherence, MEP Hanna Jalloul, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, underlined the direct impact of EU decisions on citizens’ daily lives.

Beyond internal policy, she stressed the importance of consistency in Europe’s external action. “We speak of peace, but our multilateral system — which we’ve defended since 1945 — must be consistent.” In a challenging geopolitical environment, she argued, the European Union must align its commercial priorities and strategic autonomy with its foundational values.

When democratic disconnect reaches the local level

This disconnect between European decision-making and citizens’ perception, participants warned, does not remain abstract. When people feel that decisions are distant, unclear or inconsistent with proclaimed values, frustration grows — and it often manifests first at the local level.

In response to this growing pressure, CEMR, together with the City of Bilbao, Bocconi University and the Basque Association of Municipalities, has launched the European Observatory for Democracy at the Local Level. The initiative aims to gather data on threats against local representatives, identify emerging trends and better understand the drivers behind attacks on democratic institutions.

“By strengthening democracy at the local level, we are also strengthening the European project,” Enunciaga concluded.

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