Vienna Hosted European Cities Conference on Democracy
Two-day summit fosters exchange on citizen participation and democratic innovation. The event served as a platform for exchanging ideas, sharing best practices, and forging new alliances.

Under the motto "Shaping Together: Democracy and Participation in European Cities," representatives from numerous Central and Eastern European cities gathered in Vienna last week for the 9th European Cities Conference. Organized by the Department for European Affairs (MA 27), the International Offices of the City of Vienna, and the Office for Participation (MA 20), the event provided a platform to discuss challenges, share best practices, and build alliances for the future.
Being presented as the European Capital of Democracy, Vienna showcased a range of initiatives aimed at strengthening civic engagement. The city’s Democracy Year 2024/25 includes several key projects, such as the newly established Office for Participation, which promotes and facilitates citizen involvement in decision-making processes. Another highlight is the Vienna Climate Team, a project that actively involves residents in shaping climate policies. The city also introduced its first Democracy Strategy, a framework designed to enhance long-term participatory governance. In addition, a €300,000 funding pool has been allocated to support grassroots initiatives and small-scale participatory projects from civil society.
"To advance democracy, cities must exchange experiences and best practices. As the European Capital of Democracy, we want to create a space where new ideas and initiatives can emerge," said City Councilor for Democracy Jürgen Czernohorszky.
Beyond Vienna’s contributions, other European cities presented their own approaches to citizen participation. Bratislava introduced its “Bratislava 2030” city strategy, which prioritizes the expansion of democratic processes. Zagreb demonstrated an innovative mobile app that allows residents to vote on local infrastructure projects. Meanwhile, Budapest representatives spoke about the challenges of promoting democratic engagement at the local level, particularly in the face of national policies that threaten to undermine democratic principles. A key takeaway from these discussions was the importance of institutionalizing participatory processes to ensure long-term civic engagement.
The conference concluded with a panel discussion featuring Vienna’s Planning Director Thomas Madreiter and Susanna Erker, Head of the Department for Energy Planning (MA 20). The debate centered on the role of public participation in tackling pressing climate and energy issues. Both experts agreed that without active citizen involvement, the transition to sustainable energy solutions would be significantly hindered.