Panellists Rahman Al Jebouri, President Political and Governance Development Agency, Iraq; Minna Arve, Mayor of Turku, Finland; Omezzine Khelifa, Founder Mobdiun – Creative Youth, Tunisia; Nicolas Peter, Chair of the Board of Trustees, BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt; and Vassil Terziev, Mayor of Sofia, Bulgaria, discussed the future of our democracies and the renewal of democratic systems.
The session explored whether, at a moment of polycrisis when globalisation as well as democracy are being tested from all parts, cities are emerging as a new kind of geopolitical actor? While most political positions have suffered from a severe backlash of distrust from voters, Mayors and city leaders through their handling of multiple crises over the past decade, have stood firm as the last link of trust between citizens and democratic institutions.