MAYOR ÜNLÜCE IN STRASBOURG: 'GLOBAL CRISES ARE NOW LOCAL CRISES'

Ayşe Ünlüce, Member of the Union of Municipalities of Turkey, Head of the Turkish National Delegation to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, and Mayor of Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality, participated in the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe held in Strasbourg, France, where she engaged in important meetings. Addressing the Congress, Mayor Ünlüce made significant statements: 'As a mayor, I must state this clearly: global crises are now local crises. We are the ones who feel most acutely the downward ripple effects of global chaos. At the same time , we must build a culture of solidarity from the ground up,' she said.

At the Congress in Strasbourg, Mayor Ünlüce was accompanied by Mahmudiye Mayor İshak Gündoğan and Metropolitan Municipality Council Member Nurcan Alkan. Speaking at the 'International Disorder and Regional Consequences' Congress session , Ünlüce highlighted the impacts of global issues such as wars, migration movements, economic crises, and climate change on cities. Emphasizing the critical role of local governments in this process, Ünlüce stated that cities are not merely service providers; they are also carriers of peace, the rule of law, and social solidarity.

Addressing the issue of global crises and their impact on local governments at the Congress, Mayor Ünlüce said the following:

''Global disorder is often discussed under the headings of international relations or national security. However, the reality on the ground is this: the most tangible consequences of this disorder are felt in the cities, neighborhoods, and households that we govern. As a mayor, I must state this clearly: global crises are now local crises, because the economic impacts of global disorder fall directly on the shoulders of local governments. Rising energy costs, increasing inflation, and growing demands for social assistance are straining municipal budgets and reducing our service capacity.

Today, we are facing two major developments. In recent years, we have received migrants from many countries, primarily from Africa, the Middle East, and Syria. Currently, with the ongoing wars in the Middle East and Iran becoming involved in the process, the possibility of a new wave of migration has emerged. The primary destinations for these migrants are mostly our countries and European nations.

The responsibility for managing the situation of existing migrants and accommodating new waves of migration should not be left solely to local governments. We must accurately analyze the root causes of the global disorder we are experiencing. The decline of democracy, the weakening of the rule of law, and the rise of authoritarian regimes have brought us to this point.

We are the ones who feel most acutely the downward ripple effects of global chaos. At the same time, we must build a culture of solidarity from the ground up. The path out of the chaos, conflict, and war that grips the world lies in local governments, communities, and us as their leaders raising our voices for peace, democracy, and a just order.''

Mayor Ünlüce also delivered speeches at the sessions on 'Social Rights at the Local and Regional Levels' and 'Implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights by Local and Regional Authorities: Lessons from the Case Law of the European Court of Human Rights.

Meanwhile, other important roles were also undertaken on behalf of Turkey at the Congress. Sinem Dedetaş, Mayor of Üsküdar, was elected Vice President of the Chamber of Regions of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, while Zana Gümüş joined the leadership of the Socialist, Green, and Progressive Democrats Group.