Local Democracy and civil society engagement at the local level are a fundamental space of democratic resilience.
On 2 and 3 February, 2026, the International Conference on the New Democratic Pact for Europe took place in Strasbourg (France) at the Council of Europe (CoE).
The event aimed to explore the current state of civic space in Europe — the environment that enables people to participate meaningfully in the political, economic, social and cultural life of their societies.
ALDA’s Secretary General, Antonella Valmorbida, attended the event to meet in person with speakers and participants from institutions, international organisations and research centres, fostering an exchange of visions, perspectives and practices aimed at strengthening civil society empowerment.
“Civil Society has a central role to play on the path to the New Democratic Pact for Europe” (Alain Berset, Secretary General of the CoE)
In a world experiencing a democratic backsliding trend, this theme is at the center of ALDA’s commitment to promote democratic values, understanding the need to act locally in order to reach ambitious goals on a global level.
With the New Democratic Pact for Europe, the CoE aims at undertaking a collective and inclusive action “not to reinvent democracy, but to reinforce its foundations, amplify its benefits, and innovate its form to make it tangible for everyone”, with the awareness that we must never cease to be vigilant in safeguarding the civil and political rights of citizens.
“The evils of Nazism did not happen overnight. They were made possible through a gradual deterioration of society”
(Michael O’Flaherty, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights)
ALDA is proud to have been present at this crucial moment for democracy, which has provided significant food for thought and inspiration for our work and mission, bringing our role in supporting resilience of local democracy at the local level.
ALDA has also been advancing democratic resilience on the ground through the implementation of the BRIDGE to the Council of Europe (CoE) project, an initiative designed to strengthen civil society participation and combat democratic backsliding across Europe. The project fosters closer engagement between civil society actors, local authorities, and CoE institutions, building capacities for meaningful participation in democratic governance and awareness of Council of Europe standards. Through workshops, cross-border dialogues, and a broad communication strategy, BRIDGE translates shared democratic values into tangible local action, reinforcing the foundations of civic space and empowering communities to uphold democratic norms.