The European Democratic Party (EDP)’s XXI Congress, held on 21 November 2025 in Bilbao, Spain brought together European, national, regional and local leaders from across Europe to reflect on the state of democracy in the world. Represented by Mayor of Saint -Omer François Decoster, Deputy-Mayor of the City of Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve Cédric du Monceau, and invited EU councillors including Carlo Sisti, the Renew Europe CoR delegation joined leaders from across Europe to discuss the future of the EU.
European Democratic Mayors’ Statement
The most concrete outcome of the EDP Congress was the adoption of the European Democratic Mayors’ Statement on the Governance of the EU’s Long-Term Budget, a document calling for stronger legal safeguards for multilevel governance in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). The statement argues that current proposals for this next EU budget remain insufficient and leave core governance issues unresolved. It calls for reinstating regions and cities in EU fund governance, ring-fencing cohesion resources, and making multilevel partnership a binding MFF principle. Signed by EDP President François Bayrou, Secretary-General Sandro Gozi, and François Decoster on behalf of Democratic Mayors, the text aligns closely with Renew Europe CoR’s long-standing positions on cohesion policy and subsidiarity.
The Local Dimension of European Affairs
Speaking during the Congress, French Mayor of Saint-Omer and Group President François Decoster used his intervention to argue that the EDP family, including its mayors and regional leaders, is historically among the most committed defenders of cohesion policy. He warned against drifting away from this shared responsibility, especially at a time when the EU is discussing its next budget proposal (the MFF) and considering side-lining subnational authorities from the decision-making process. Speaking on behalf of other Mayors of the political family, he stressed that cohesion policy only works when local and regional authorities are fully involved. He directly linked President von der Leyen’s MFF proposal to the need for multilevel governance, stressing that European ambitions cannot be delivered without the actors who implement them on the ground.
“Cohesion is about involving local and regional authorities. We cannot forget this policy, because it is where Europe meets citizens.” – Mayor of Saint-Omer and Renew Europe COR President, François Decoster
Decoster also underlined the role of local and regional elected officials in safeguarding democratic values – a recurring theme across the day’s debates. Drawing attention to the imprisonment of a Bulgarian Mayor from Varna, Blagomir Kotsev, he stressed that violations of democratic norms anywhere in Europe should concern all levels of government across the EU. “Our colleague has been imprisoned for six months without justification, simply for opposing the current government,” Decoster told participants, adding: “Democracy must be defended by all members of our Union, whatever level we represent.”
The EDP Congress in Bilbao brought together European national parliamentarians, global policymakers and young activists for a day of debates on democracy, youth participation and Europe’s strategic direction. The programme combined high-level political speeches with thematic discussions on the state of democracy worldwide, the role of youth movements, and the need to strengthen the EU’s capacity to act. The presence of local and regional leaders, largely from our Renew Europe COR delegation, added an important layer to conversations often dominated by national politics. Their participation ensured that questions of governance, cohesion and democratic resilience were grounded in the day-to-day realities of municipalities and regions.
