Local Insights 71

Communications Officer (matternity leave cover)

Anna Goclawska In About CEMR, Latest, Local Insights

Voices of our 75-year history: Anne Marie Jorritsma

Anne Marie Jorritsma: “The local level is where citizens meet their government”

788 words

3–5 minutes

Anne Marie Jorritsma is a prominent figure in Dutch politics. She served as the Netherlands’ first female Deputy Prime Minister (1998-2022), later chaired her party’s group in the Senate, and spent many years as Mayor of Almere (2003-2015), a period she describes as “the most important” of her political career. Throughout her career, she was also the first female CEMR President (2013-2015).

In this interview, recorded in Almere, Jorritsma reflects on how the European Commission’s understanding of local and regional governments has evolved over the years. She also shares her views on the progress of gender equality in politics and explains why politicians at every level should never lose sight of the local level.

A stronger seat at Europe’s table

Asked about her major achievement during her period as CEMR’s President, Jorritsma does not point to a single decision or campaign. Instead, she highlights a shift in attitude: local and regional governments are now taken far more seriously by the European Commission than they once were.

In her view, it used to be only the Council and Member States who mattered in Brussels. That has changed. Today, she says, there is a growing recognition that European policy cannot work without the support of local and regional governments, since a town, city or region cannot survive without its national government, and a country cannot manage alone without Europe.

She sees the war in Ukraine as having sharpened that understanding further, pushing countries to recognise that they cannot face today’s challenges alone. Still, she notes with some regret that it so often takes a crisis to bring that lesson home.

Naming the gender gap, and closing it

Jorritsma was the first woman to hold the office of Deputy Prime Minister in the Netherlands, though she says she rarely thought of it in those terms at the time; she simply worked hard and tried to outperform the men around her. Looking at the wider picture today, she is candid that progress on gender equality in politics has stalled, and in some respects is slipping backwards. The Netherlands has still never had a female prime minister, and even in Europe, where a woman leads the European Commission, she points out that sexism has not disappeared.

She recalls one achievement with particular pride: as chair of her party’s group in the Senate, she reached a 50-50 balance between men and women. Once achieved, she says, people quickly assumed it was simply normal, but she warns that without continued effort, that balance can just as easily be lost again. It is a lesson she is determined to act on, by pushing her party to bring more young women into politics and into the education that prepares them for it.

The local level is where it all begins

For Jorritsma, local government is not a stepping stone to something more important; it is where the real work of democracy happens. Most citizens will never meet a government minister, she notes, but they will meet their mayor or visit their local council. It is at that level that people encounter their government directly.

What frustrates her is how many politicians, once they move to the national stage, forget the local level they came from. She hopes that in the years ahead, the influence of local government on national decision-making will grow stronger, building on the progress she believes has already been made, but which still has a long way to go.

Lessons from an international network

Reflecting on her years at CEMR, Jorritsma describes it as a source of constant learning. Every country does things differently, and sharing those experiences, and the practical tools other local leaders use, was, she says, one of the things she valued most.

She recalls a particular lesson from her time as Mayor of Almere: that leaders of large cities can learn a lot from the mayors of small towns, who tend to stay much closer to their inhabitants, going out to meet people rather than waiting for them to make an appointment. She made a point of doing the same, keeping her network among the city’s residents strong rather than retreating behind an office door.

Being Mayor of Almere, she says, was the most important part of her entire political career, and she hopes mayors across Europe come to feel the same way about their own local roots, and that national politicians learn to see it that way too.

*Jorritsma served as president of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten) starting in January 2008 until June 2015, representing the interests of Dutch local governments during her tenure as Mayor of Almere.

For more information, contact:

Communications Officer (matternity leave cover)

Anna Goclawska In About CEMR, Latest, Local Insights

Voices of our 75-year history: Stefano Bonaccini

Interview with Stefano Bonaccini – “A united Europe cannot exist without its diverse territorial sensitivities”

549 words

2–3 minutes

Stefano Bonaccini served as the President of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) from 2016 to 2022, leading the organisation through two consecutive three-year terms. With an extensive background in Italian regional governance, having served for 10 years as the President of the Emilia-Romagna region and six years as the President of all Italian regions, Bonaccini brought a deep understanding of local administration to the European stage. Today, as a Member of the European Parliament, he welcomes us to discuss his experience, the role of local governments in Europe, and the challenges ahead.

In this interview, Bonaccini looks back on the challenges and rewards of leading a continent-wide network such as CEMR. He shares his views on the importance of cohesion policy in the ongoing discussions on the EU budget and reflects on what lies ahead for both CEMR and the wider local and regional government movement within the EU project.

Building consensus across a diverse membership

Asked about his fondest memory from his six years as CEMR President, Bonaccini does not point to a particular event. Instead, he highlights what he sees as one of the organisation’s greatest achievements: bringing together local and regional governments from across Europe around a shared agenda.

Representing members from countries with different political traditions, cultures and priorities is no easy task. During Bonaccini’s presidency, CEMR brought together local and regional leaders from both EU and non-EU countries, often with very different perspectives on key issues.

Despite long debates, Bonaccini proudly recalls that nearly all major decisions and objectives were voted on and passed almost entirely with unanimity. For him, this ability to find common ground is one of CEMR’s defining strengths and a key reason why the organisation has remained an influential voice for local and regional government in Europe throughout its 75-year history.

Standing firm on the relevance of local governance in EU discussions

Drawing from his experience as CEMR President, Bonaccini stresses the importance of organisations such as CEMR in shaping European debates.

In his view, decisions taken at the EU level cannot be effective unless they take account of the realities faced by towns, cities and regions on the ground. This is particularly true for the ongoing discussions on the next EU budget, where he clearly states that “we cannot exclude cohesion policy” because “that would mean excluding regions and municipalities from the planning of European funds”. “When planned and discussed together with the territories, these policies can provide citizens with opportunities”, he concludes.

A vision for an expanded, fairer, and more cohesive continent

Looking toward the next decade, Bonaccini outlines a clear, ambitious path for the future of CEMR. His hope is to see the family of European territories, cities, and regions expand even further, welcoming more diverse local voices.

At the same time, he believes CEMR must continue to make the case for a Europe that works closely with its local and regional governments. Whatever their political complexity, national and European leaders need to recognise that many of today’s challenges can only be addressed through stronger cooperation and solidarity across the continent.

Stefano Bonaccini is part of the CEMR Italian national association of AICCRE.

For more information, contact:

Communications Officer (matternity leave cover)

Anna Goclawska In About CEMR, EU budget, Impact community Cohesion, Latest, Local Insights

Meet Bart Somers (Mechelen)

Meet the Local Hero: Bart Somers, proving that Europe’s future is built locally

900 words

4–6 minutes

Watch the full interview

When Bart Somers talks about local government, one idea keeps coming back: it is the level where you can really make a difference.

He has been mayor of Mechelen in Belgium for 26 years — a tenure that ran in parallel with a national political career that took him through parliament, a ministerial post, and the leadership of a political party. Somers has spent much of his career moving between the two levels of politics. He never doubted which one he wanted to keep.

“The real strength of politics in the 21^st century is situated on the local level, where you really can make a difference.”

A love for the city, a case for the local level

Somers was born and raised in Mechelen, and that attachment to the city is part of why he stayed. But it is not the whole story. Early in his career, he became convinced that the local level was where politics could achieve the most — a conviction he carried with him even while sitting in national government and parliament, where he pushed colleagues to lean on local leverage far more than they typically do.

*Bart Somers, Mayor of Mechelen in Belgium – interview on 29 April 2026

Climate action recognised at street level

That belief runs through Mechelen’s climate work too, recently recognised with the EU Covenant of Mayors Award for its heat decarbonisation success, which served as inspiration for other cities and towns across Europe. At a moment when some EU institutions appear to be easing off the pace of the green transition, Somers sees the local level as where the urgency is most visible and most actionable.

“At the local level, you can see with your own eyes what the impact of climate change is, and sometimes it’s really devastating. So, you feel the urgency to do something about it.”

Mechelen has been recognised for its large-scale roll-out of heat networks combined with heat storage to provide green heat to densely populated areas, while maximising the potential of local, renewable and residual heat sources.

The jury of the EU Covenant of Mayors Award applauded Mechelen’s comprehensive planning and concrete implementation steps of this specific project. The implementation of Mechelen’s heat plan is driven by strong local stakeholder mobilisation through a Heat Coalition of over 25 key organisations, from district system operators, energy cooperatives and government bodies to social housing corporations and local businesses. The jury praised Mechelen’s vast engagement and outreach efforts to get everyone on board with their heat plan, as well as their focus on supporting vulnerable communities facing energy poverty.

International, European and national frameworks matter, he says, but it is within them that cities do the concrete work: getting people onto bicycles instead of into cars and shifting investment away from fossil energy and into solar power.

*Mechelen, city centre and city hall

Refugees, and a city that remembers

Mechelen’s response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine was, for Somers, emotional as much as political. He had visited Maidan in 2014, as a member of parliament, while the uprising against Ukraine’s government was unfolding. Standing behind Ukraine afterwards felt like the only option for a city that, in his words, embraces human rights and European values.

“They are fighting our fight. They are sacrificing lives to protect also my country.”

Convincing the city to act was not difficult, he says, partly because Mechelen carries its own history of displacement. During the First World War, 90% of the city’s residents became refugees; Somers’ own grandfather spent three years in a refugee camp in the Netherlands, from the age of 14. It is a story many families in Mechelen share, and one that shaped how naturally the city opened its doors this time.

Safety and inclusion, hand in hand

Somers has built his reputation on combining an inclusive approach with a firm stance on the rule of law — a combination he says is often misunderstood. Asked about his most difficult decision as mayor, he points to the work of convincing people that safety and inclusion reinforce each other rather than conflict.

“Safety and inclusion go hand in hand, it strengthens each other.”

The people who most need a safe city, he argues, are not the ones in comfortable, middle-class neighbourhoods, they are mothers raising children in more vulnerable areas, where danger is closer to home. That conviction, he says, has helped Mechelen become a city where people from different backgrounds live together well.

A message to Brussels: trust the local laboratory

Asked what he would tell national and EU leaders, Somers is direct: solving today’s crises requires the local level. Cities and towns hold people’s trust, sit close to citizens, and can move fast and pragmatically in ways higher levels of government often cannot.

“We not only need a top-down policy, but we need a bottom-up policy. The place where you can reinvent democracy, where you can find real answers for the challenges of today and tomorrow, is at the local level.”

His advice is to treat that local level as a laboratory: a place to experiment and build strength that, in turn, feeds back into national and European politics.

Meet the local hero
BART SOMMERS

Watch the video

–

The city of Mechelen is a member of the CEMR national association VVSG (Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities).

For more information, contact:

Watch the video interview

Communications Officer (matternity leave cover)

Meritxell PARRAMON VILA In About CEMR, Latest, Local Insights

Voices of our 75-year history

Jan Van Zanen: “If we want impact, global and local governments must go hand in hand”

801 words

3–5 minutes

Jan Van Zanen, Mayor of The Hague and President of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), has been a long-standing figure in international municipal cooperation. With more than a decade of active involvement in both CEMR and UCLG, he has witnessed first-hand how cities increasingly shape global responses to shared challenges, from climate change to social cohesion.

This interview was recorded in Barcelona during the UCLG Retreat in February 2026. In it, Van Zanen reflects on the defining moments of his engagement within the global municipal movement, the importance of international city networks, and his vision for the future of CEMR and UCLG.

A defining moment in The Hague

For Jan Van Zanen, one memory clearly stands out from his years within CEMR and UCLG: hosting the UCLG World Council in The Hague in 2024.

For three days, more than 300 local leaders from around the world gathered in the Dutch city, in a moment that carried both political and symbolic significance. The meeting took place 125 years after The Hague hosted the first Peace Conference, adding historical depth to the occasion.

“To see that global community come together in The Hague,” he recalls, “was very meaningful.”

*UCLG World Council in the Hague 2024

The event also marked a personal milestone, as Van Zanen took over the rotating presidency of UCLG. In line with the city’s long-standing identity as a centre for peace and justice, the gathering led to the adoption of The Hague Charter on Municipal Peace — a document designed to guide cities in fostering dialogue and strengthening peaceful communities at the local level.

“Doing so in my own city, surrounded by colleagues from all over the world, made it truly memorable,” he says. “It is something I always look back on with pride.”

Cities at the heart of global challenges

Beyond memorable milestones, Van Zanen emphasises the growing importance of international cooperation between cities. In his view, local and regional governments today are on the frontline of major global transformations.

“From climate adaptation and migration to digitalisation and social cohesion, these developments may be global, but they always land locally in our streets and neighbourhoods,” he explains.

This is precisely why networks such as CEMR and UCLG play a crucial role. For cities like The Hague — home to numerous international institutions — engagement at the global level is both natural and necessary. But, he insists, the value of these networks goes beyond visibility or prestige.

“It is about connecting with fellow cities,” he says. “Sitting around a table with other mayors and local leaders, exchanging openly about what works in practice.”

Through this peer-to-peer exchange, cities are able to share solutions, learn from each other, and build collective resilience. Ultimately, this cooperation translates into more effective policies and tangible benefits for citizens.

Recognising local governments as key partners

Looking ahead, Van Zanen outlines an ambitious but clear vision for CEMR and UCLG in the coming decade. His expectation is that both organisations become fully recognised as indispensable partners in policymaking at all levels.

“I would hope that CEMR and UCLG are recognised everywhere as key actors in shaping solutions,” he says, “not only globally but also within the European Union and at national level.”

Central to this ambition is the idea that local governments should be involved from the very beginning when major agreements are designed, whether on climate, migration or development. For Van Zanen, this early involvement is essential to ensure that policies are both practical and impactful.

“Involved from the beginning, with a clear and recognised role,” he insists.

However, recognition alone is not enough. He also stresses the importance of aligning responsibilities with adequate resources, particularly in terms of access to funding. Without this, cities cannot fully deliver on their commitments.

From ambition to impact

Underlying Van Zanen’s reflections is a consistent message: local and regional governments are not just implementers but also innovators and essential drivers of change.

“Cities implement, cities innovate, cities are closest to citizens,” he notes.

This proximity gives local governments a unique capacity to translate global ambitions into concrete action. But to fully unlock this potential, stronger collaboration between levels of governance is needed.

“If we really want impact, global governments and local governments must go hand in hand,” he concludes.

For Van Zanen, the history of CEMR over the past 75 years demonstrates precisely this capacity: turning shared ambition into tangible results. Strengthening that role in the years to come will be key to addressing the complex challenges ahead — and ensuring that solutions are rooted where they matter most: in towns, cities and regions and its local communities.

Watch the video interview here.

The Hague is part of CEMR’s national association of VNG.

For more information, contact:

Watch the video interview

Head of Communications

Meritxell PARRAMON VILA In About CEMR, Latest, Local Insights

Voices of our 75-year history

Christophe Chaillou: “Europe cannot be built without its local territories”

740 words

3–5 minutes

Christophe Chaillou served as Director of the Cabinet of the Secretary General of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) from 1992 to 2007, during one of the most transformative periods in European history. Accompanying the organisation through the great years of the Delors Commission, the democratic transitions in Eastern Europe, and the formal recognition of local and regional governments by European institutions, he witnessed first-hand how CEMR helped shape the place of towns, cities and regions within the European project.

In this interview, he looks back on the defining moments of his period in CEMR, the presidents he worked alongside, and the message he believes must continue to guide CEMR today.

A privileged witness to a founding era

Christophe Chaillou’s time at CEMR coincided with a period of exceptional momentum for European integration.

It was the moment during which local and regional governments gained formal recognition from European institutions, a long-held objective of CEMR that finally became reality. For Chaillou, this convergence of political, institutional and historical forces made it a remarkable moment to be part of the organisation.

“I had the privilege of accompanying CEMR at a time when the European project was especially valued,” he recalls. “It was a fantastic period. In many ways, it meant achieving many of our founding objectives.”

Central to that experience was the opportunity to work alongside exceptional leaders. Among the presidents he served with, he mentions Pasqual Maragall [read Maragall’s head of cabinet interview here] and Valéry Giscard d’Estaing as figures who left a remarkable impression. Each bringing their own vision and weight to CEMR’s work on the European stage.

A moment of reconciliation: Prague, 1993

Of all the moments that marked his years at CEMR, one stands out above the rest. The General Assembly held in Prague in 1993 remains, in Chaillou’s view, one of the most powerful and symbolically charged events in the organisation’s history.

It was the moment when CEMR welcomed the local and regional associations that had just been re-established across Central and Eastern Europe, organisations asking for their place after decades of authoritarian rule and joining, for the first time, the broader European family.

“It was a moment of European reconciliation,” he says. “All the associations across the continent, gathered. It was undoubtedly a very powerful moment of affirmation of our message and, once again, of European unity.”

The assembly carried a weight that went far beyond the institutional. For those present, it was a vivid demonstration of what CEMR stood for: local democracy and European integration were not separate ambitions, but deeply interconnected ones.

Local freedoms at the heart of CEMR’s advocacy work

Beyond the symbolic milestones, Chaillou also highlights the strategic advocacy done by CEMR during his period as Secretary General. He specifically mentions the recognition granted to local and regional governments, which ensured that local freedoms were not recognised in principle but also respected in practice within the European institutional framework.

That achievement, in his view, was the result of both political momentum and persistent effort. It was built through relationships, credibility and the clarity of the CEMR’s message at a time when Europe was still defining what it wanted to be.

CEMR’s founding message, still urgent today

Looking ahead, Chaillou is unambiguous about the challenge that matters most. In a period marked by rising threats to democracy, growing geopolitical instability, and renewed questions about the future of European integration, he believes CEMR must return to its roots and carry its founding message with renewed conviction.

“What we need today is to strengthen all of this,” he says. “The main challenge is to preserve and promote local democracy in all the territories; the spirit of both local autonomy and European integration. That is the founding message of CEMR.”

For Chaillou, that message is as relevant now as it was in the early 1990s. Europe, he insists, cannot be built from the top down. It must be rooted in its territories in the places where citizens live, where decisions are made, and where democracy either thrives or falters.

“Europe cannot be built without its local territories,” he says. “And it is in the territories that local freedoms must assert themselves. In times when there are many threats, including a clear challenge to democracy, it is important to defend this message.”

Check the full interview here

Christophe Chaillou - thumbnail — Christophe Chaillou – Interview video

For more information, contact:

Watch the video interview

Head of Communications

Meritxell PARRAMON VILA In About CEMR, Latest, Local Insights

Voices of our 75-year history

Antònia Sabartés: “I would like CEMR to be brave and bold”

1,098 words

5–7 minutes

Antònia Sabartés was Head of Cabinet to Pasqual Maragall, Mayor of Barcelona, and President of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) from 1992 to 1997. Closely involved in the organisation’s leadership during a pivotal period for Europe, she witnessed first‑hand how CEMR helped shape the place of local and regional governments in the European project.

*Antònia Sabartés – Head of Cabinet to Pasqual Maragall, President of CEMR from 1992 to 1997.

In this interview —recorded at the Fundació Mies Van der Rohe in Barcelona, rebuilt during Maragall’s time as the Mayor of the Catalan capital and closely linked to the European Union through the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture — she looks back on Maragall’s presidency, the defining moments of that period, and the legacy she believes continues to guide CEMR today.

Pasqual Maragall: a European by conviction and practice

Pasqual Maragall was elected President of CEMR in December 1991 in Paris and formally took office on 9 May 1992, at a moment of intense political, institutional and symbolic change for Europe. The year of his appointment coincided with the Olympic Games in Barcelona and with the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty, placing him — and CEMR — at the heart of Europe’s transformation.

As Mayor of Barcelona, he embodied the growing international role of cities, having an active role also in the creation of Eurocities. His political and intellectual background reinforced this outlook: he had studied in Paris, been a student of Jacques Delors, knew key European figures such as Romano Prodi, and came from a deeply pro‑European family.

*Pasqual Maragall with Jacques Delors – Arxiu Digital Pasqual Maragall, Fundació Catalunya Europa

For Sabartés, this combination of experience and conviction made him particularly suited to leading CEMR at a time when local and regional governments were claiming a stronger voice in Europe.

Memories that mattered: from Delors in Barcelona to the Steering Committee in Prague

Certain moments remain particularly vivid in Sabartés’ memory for their symbolic weight and historical significance. One was Pasqual Maragall’s formal inauguration as CEMR President in Barcelona on Europe Day in 1992 — an event made exceptional by the presence of Jacques Delors. Delors rarely left Brussels, and his decision to attend underlined both the importance of the moment and the esteem in which Maragall and CEMR were held.

Another landmark was the 1992 Steering Committee meeting in Prague, held shortly after the Olympic Games. Beyond its timing, the meeting marked a turning point for CEMR, reinforcing its internal consolidation and expanding its European ambition at a crucial moment of transformation for the continent.

Alongside these emblematic events, Sabartés also recalls more personal memories linked to Maragall’s presidency. Initially, she admits to having doubts. As a mayor with major responsibilities, she wondered whether he would be able to devote enough time to CEMR. Those concerns were quickly dispelled. Maragall attended every single meeting without exception and treated the presidency as a true priority.

*Pasqual Maragall with Josef Hofmann, ECOS Conference (Prague), in the 90s. HAEU, CCRE-846

She also vividly remembers the intense spirit of collaboration within the CEMR team during those years. Working closely with Elisabeth Gateau and Christophe Chaillou, coordination between Paris and Barcelona was constant and often demanding. In a pre-digital era, communication relied on phone calls and faxes, with short messages sometimes exchanged several times a day. Achieving what today comes effortlessly thanks to the internet required at that moment a real level of coordination.

The relevant role of Maragall in the creation of the Committee of the Regions

Under Maragall’s leadership, CEMR played a central role during one of the most important phases of European integration. The approval of the Maastricht Treaty created new opportunities, notably the future establishment of the Committee of the Regions.

*General view in the ceremony auditorium of the signature of the Maastricht Treaty. Copyright: European Communities, 1992.

Securing a place for the President of CEMR in the first presidency of the Committee of the Regions was a major success. From the moment Maastricht was approved until the Committee became operational in 1994, CEMR worked intensively to ensure that local and regional authorities would be taken seriously within the EU’s new institutional framework.

This effort was reinforced through a Consultative Council of Local and Regional Authorities set up by the European Commission, working closely with Eneko Landaburu, then Director‑General of DG REGIO. These relationships opened doors and ensured that CEMR was recognised as a key interlocutor.

Another complex but decisive achievement was the reform of the Conference of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, which became the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities with two chambers. This process sparked debate between CEMR and the Assembly of European Regions, led by another Catalan, who, in this case, was the President of the Government of Catalonia, Jordi Pujol.

Throughout all the discussions, Maragall’s personal qualities made a difference. Multilingual, approachable and deeply European, he had a unique ability to connect people across political and cultural divides, even when positions were opposed.

Another greatest achievement: a vision that still matters

Beyond institutional successes, Sabartés believes Maragall’s most important contribution was strategic and ideological. He was a convinced federalist, defending a Europe built on subsidiarity, proximity and citizenship at a time when this narrative was far from mainstream.

He also played a decisive role in shaping the path that would later lead to the creation of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG). Working with mayors such as Jorge Sampaio of Lisbon, Pierre Mauroy of Lille, and leaders of IULA, he pushed for unification — particularly as a way to strengthen the presence of local governments within the United Nations system.

*Pasqual Maragall with Romani Prodí (2004) – Author: Bedmar, Jordi. Arxiu Digital Pasqual Maragall

Defending the European Charter of Local Self‑Government as a global reference helped open doors and positioned Europe as a leader in local democracy, also in the multilateral system.

“Brave and bold”, this is what CEMR needs to be in the next 10 years

Looking ahead, Sabartés is clear about what she hopes for CEMR today. In a context marked by geopolitical tensions, social inequalities, migration challenges and the rise of the far right, she believes CEMR must once again show courage.

“I would like CEMR to be brave and bold, as we were during the Maragall years,” she says. “Above all, it needs strong leadership. If we do not act, governments of proximity risk being sidelined. We must work to improve the lives of European citizens, confront prejudice and defend the values we believe in. That is my dream for CEMR.”

For more information, contact:

Head of Communications

Meritxell PARRAMON VILA In About CEMR, EU budget, Governance, Impact community Cohesion, Impact community Society, Latest, Local democracy, Local Insights

Meet Emil Boc (Cluj-Napoca)

Meet the Local Hero: Emil Boc. From national leadership to local transformation — and a call to put cities at the heart of Europe’s future

For Emil Boc, leadership has never been confined to a single level of governance. A former Prime Minister of Romania until 2012 turned long-serving mayor of Cluj-Napoca since then, his career reflects a rare continuity between national vision and local delivery.

Today, as Europe debates its next budget, Boc’s message is direct: without cities and regions at the table, the European project risks losing both effectiveness and legitimacy.

From Prime Minister to Mayor: why vision comes first

Boc’s years as Prime Minister fundamentally reshaped how he approaches local governance.

“The first lesson,” he explains, “is that no country — and no city — can develop without a clear vision, followed by a strategy and a concrete plan.”

Returning to Cluj-Napoca after his time in national office, he applied this logic with precision. The city identified its competitive advantage — universities, education, and innovation — and built a development model around a knowledge-based economy.

But beyond economic strategy, Boc insists leadership is about more than administration:

“A leader is not just there to keep the lights on or clean the streets. You need a long-term vision, and the discipline to follow it.”

Turning Cluj-Napoca into a pro-European city

Over the past two decades, Boc has overseen a profound transformation.

Once considered one of the most Eurosceptic cities in Romania, Cluj-Napoca — a city of around 300,000 inhabitants in the northwest of the country, with a dynamic, university-driven and innovation-based economy — is now, in his words, “the most pro-European city in the country.”

This shift did not happen overnight. It was built “day by day,” by embedding what Boc calls a European way of life: openness, tolerance, and cooperation — combined with strategic use of EU funds.

The results are visible everywhere: infrastructure, schools, public transport, and urban regeneration. For Boc, these are not abstract policies but tangible proof of what Europe delivers.

“If someone asks me why Europe matters,” he says, “I just go outside. The schools, the roads, the parks — they are there because of European funding.”

At the core of this transformation is a simple idea: freedom to stay.

“People should not be forced to leave their city or country for economic reasons.
Europe must guarantee not only freedom of movement, but also the freedom to build a life at home.”

This message resonates particularly strongly in Romania, a country that has experienced one of the largest waves of emigration within the European Union. Since the early 2000s, millions of Romanians — many of them young, educated, and highly mobile — have left to study and work abroad, seeking better economic opportunities and living conditions. While this mobility reflects one of the EU’s core freedoms, it has also created deep territorial imbalances, with cities and regions losing talent at a critical stage of their development.

What’s at stake in the next EU budget

As negotiations intensify over the next Multiannual Financial Framework, Boc warns that the role of cities and regions is far from secure.

His concern is not rhetorical — it is structural.

First, he argues that local governments must move from consultation to real decision-making power: “We want to be at the table, not on the menu.”

A key issue is how the European Commission plans to introduce so-called “regional checks.” Without legal weight, Boc fears these could become a box-ticking exercise rather than a genuine partnership.

His proposal is clear: a binding subsidiarity clause, ensuring that municipalities and regions are involved at every stage — from design to implementation and evaluation — and can reject national plans that ignore them.

Second, he pushes back against proposals to merge cohesion policy funding with other priorities, particularly agriculture.

“These are two pillars of the European Union. If they are put in the same pot, cities and regions risk losing out.”

Third, Boc insists that cohesion policy must remain universal. Limiting access only to less-developed regions would weaken Europe’s ability to address inequalities across all territories.

“Cohesion is the glue that keeps Europe together — and that glue is needed everywhere.”

Finally, he calls for dedicated regional chapters in national plans to ensure that local perspectives are not sidelined.

From climate to defence: investing in cities is investing in Europe

For Boc, the debate about the EU budget ultimately comes down to credibility.

“Europe has the vision. Now it needs the resources to deliver.”

He points to climate policy as a concrete example. Cities are expected to lead the transition — including initiatives like climate-neutral urban development — but without sufficient funding, ambitions risk remaining theoretical.

At the same time, he highlights the growing interconnection between policy areas. Investments in urban infrastructure, such as metro systems, serve multiple purposes: sustainability, mobility, and even resilience in times of crisis.

“Look at how metro systems are used in emergencies,” he notes. “This is not just climate policy — it is also about security and preparedness.”

A Europe built with its cities

Boc’s argument is ultimately political as much as financial.

The European Union, he says, cannot be reduced to negotiations between capitals.

“It is not just a union of states. It is a union of municipalities, regions, and cities.”

Excluding them from decision-making would not only weaken policy outcomes but also erode the diversity and cohesion that define Europe itself.

As the EU looks ahead to 2034 and beyond, Boc’s message is a warning — and a roadmap:

Without strong local governments, there is no strong Europe.

Cluj-Napoca is member of CEMR national association Romanian Municipalities Association.

Check out our EU budget campaign and what we have produced so far:

Podcast episode on “Who Decides Europe’s Future?“
Our latest news on the EU budget in the Netherlands
Videos produced: Case of Matosinhos (Portugal) | Case of Moravian Silesian region (Czech Republic) | Case of Flevoland (the Netherlands)

For more information, contact:

Head of Communications

Meritxell PARRAMON VILA In Climate, Energy, Environment, Impact community Climate, Latest, Local Insights

Meet Fabien Pérez (Marseille)

Meet the Local Hero: Fabien Pérez, building Marseille a climate-neutral city

Marseille’s path to climate neutrality

Marseille is in the middle of a major ecological transformation — one that began in 2020, when climate action was placed firmly at the centre of the local political agenda. This renewed momentum emerged at the same time as Europe was strengthening support for cities taking the lead on climate neutrality, creating the right moment for Marseille to accelerate its transition.

The city recognised that its challenges were multidimensional. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to climate change or addressing energy poverty were among the urgent priorities. Local leaders understood that climate action could not be separated from social realities.

In February 2026, ahead of the French local elections, we interviewed Fabien Pérez, then Marseille’s councillor responsible for European Funds, to learn more about this experience.

Connecting local vision with European ambition

In 2022, Marseille was selected from 377 candidates to join the 100 cities part of the “EU Mission: Climate-neutral and smart cities”, a moment that Fabien Pérez describes as “the start of a new chapter in Marseille’s ecological transition”.

Two years later, in 2024, the city officially received the “100 climate-neutral cities” label after an evaluation by the European Commission. The distinction not only strengthens the city’s visibility at the European level but also provides access to technical expertise and dedicated funding to accelerate decarbonisation — crucial steps on the path towards Europe’s 2050 climate neutrality goal.

A collective process: building a shared Climate City Contract

One of the cornerstones of this transformation is Marseille’s Climate City Contract, drafted in collaboration with the Aix‑Marseille‑Provence Metropolis, the Region Sud and more than 250 private actors. As Pérez explains, “the Climate City Contract was prepared with citizens, enterprises, associations… a collective roadmap to decarbonise the territory by 2030”.

Behind this roadmap lies a political choice: to move away from a top‑down vision and instead build a shared strategy that tackles various topics such as mobility, building, renewable energy, circular economy and waste, nature in the city, urban agriculture, sea and coastline or education.

The elaboration of the contract also created a new sense of momentum across the territory — a desire to transform the city and accelerate the transition, matched with the need to secure and coordinate the necessary financial resources.

Climate action rooted in Marseille’s realities

Marseille’s ecological transition is shaped by the unique challenges of its territory. Like many European cities, road transport is a major source of emissions. But Marseille also faces additional pressure from industrial activities surrounding the city, emissions linked to air transport or food supply chains, and the geographical reality of being a major port.

Being part of the Mediterranean region also makes this city extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change. As Pérez explains, Marseille regularly faces extreme weather events, soil fragility, and a coastline that is already evolving — and will continue to change in the coming years. These vulnerabilities have forced the local government to think long‑term and to get ready for tomorrow’s challenges.

Social urgency is another defining factor. Combating energy poverty has become not only an environmental priority but also a way to build social cohesion and support residents in tangible, meaningful ways. “The ecological transition must go hand in hand with social justice”, says Pérez.

From planning to action: relevant projects on the ground

The European label has already helped unlocking new funding for Marseille’s transition. Around €6 million are being invested in concrete, community-centred initiatives, including:

A neighbourhood outreach programme (€600,000), sending ambassadors into key districts to work directly with residents and companies on ecological initiatives.
Jet cities project, supporting changes in employment and skills caused by green transition (€1.5 million).
The “Poséidon” project (€400,000), promoting renewable energy, heat recovery systems and energy‑efficient renovation.
The PeriAsty project (€1.2 million), supporting the transition of Europe’s peri-urban areas towards climate-neutral, sustainable and resilient environments in areas such as mobility.
Additional support via the ELENA mechanism, helping finance large scale retrofits of public buildings and the expansion of renewable energy solutions.

These early projects illustrate how Marseille is moving from planning to delivery — and how European support can help local authorities turn long-term strategies into visible action.

Marseille also became a signatory of the EU Covenant of Mayors in 2021, an initiative in which CEMR is also involved. Through this initiative, the city has shared various of its case studies such as its plan for zero-euro electricity bills, its strategy to “refresh” public spaces, its heat strategy, and its transformative energy community strategy.

Under the umbrella of the Metropole Aix-Marseille-Provence, the city has been involved in the EU Missions Adaptation to Climate Change, another initiative in which CEMR is involved, with a budget of €999,000 budget for a project combining public and private partnerships to reduce CO₂ emissions.

A Mediterranean city that can inspire Europe

Marseille’s initiative in this field, combined with its geography and identity, makes it a compelling example for other European cities. As a major Mediterranean hub with diverse communities and a complex socio‑climatic landscape, it faces many of the shared challenges that cities across Europe are dealing with.

This is why Pérez emphasises the city’s wider relevance:

“Bring forward representative cities like Marseille, with a Mediterranean port, can inspire other cities in Europe to move towards carbon neutrality”.

Marseille is proving that climate neutrality is not only an environmental imperative, but also an opportunity to rethink governance, strengthen social cohesion and build a shared vision for the future. Its initiative shows how cities are already delivering results aligned with the global objectives of achieving the climate neutrality goal by 2050.

—

Marseille is a member of CEMR’s French association AFCCRE.

For more information, please contact: