"We see populism on the rise in Europe, in our cities, and surrounding areas," says Burkhard Jung, president of Eurocities, a network of more than 200 mayors in Europe.
And that's not just because of Donald Trump.
"We need strong cities and strong mayors to defend the idea of democracy," says Andr ? s Sobczak, secretary-general of Eurocities.
That's why, per the group's website, the mayors of more than 200 cities in Europe have signed a pledge to "support an open, democratic, pluralistic, inclusive, and solidarity-based society."
The " values that us unite...
can supplement and strengthen existing democratic systems," Sobczak says.
The mayors are meeting inNapoca, Romania, this week as part of Eurocities' annual conference, which is focused on "sustainable, innovative, and resilient cities," per a press release.
They're discussing issues such as climate change, affordable housing, and rising cost of living, as well as ways to involve citizens in decision-making.
"Citizen participation plays a key role in an effective and democratic local governance," says Juhana Vartia, mayor of Helsinki.
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