The City of Brussels in Belgium has been selected as the European Capital of Democracy for 2027 following a multi-stage selection process combining expert evaluation and a Europe-wide citizen vote.
The title recognises cities that demonstrate strong efforts to strengthen democracy at the local level. Brussels will now host a year-long programme of events, projects and initiatives focused on participation, dialogue and democratic innovation, following previous title holders Barcelona in Spain (2023/24), Vienna in Austria (2024/25) and Cascais in Portugal (2026).
Mayor of Brussels, Philippe Close (PS), said the award reflects the role of residents in shaping the city’s democratic life: “This title is a recognition of the commitment of thousands of Brussels residents. Our city proves every day that democracy lives and grows thanks to its inhabitants.”
The selection process involved an Experts’ Jury, which assessed applications and conducted site visits, and a Citizens’ Jury of more than 5,500 participants from Council of Europe member states and Kosovo, who made the final decision through an online vote.
According to Helfried Carl, founder and CEO of the European Capital of Democracy initiative, the choice of Brussels highlights the importance of local governance in maintaining democratic resilience. “While autocratic tendencies gain strength in many countries on a national level, local democracy proves to be vibrant and less prone to fall for populism. Cities are powerful innovators when it comes to democratic practice. The City of Brussels has convinced experts and citizen jurors with its strong participatory orientation. We are looking forward to working with Brussels to organise a strong Democracy Year 2027,” he said.
Members of the Experts’ Jury also pointed to the city’s focus on participation and adaptability. Sanja Bojanić noted that Brussels’ approach goes beyond slogans: “Fix, flex, reflex was the slogan that greeted us in Brussels when we arrived as an Experts’ Jury on a visit. The dynamics of development, the determination to open up the future of democracy even in times of poly crises, however, lies not only in slogans and marketing announcements. The internal participatory reflex is the engine of change.”
City officials say the designation will position Brussels as a hub for democratic innovation. Frederik Ceulemans (Anders), Alderman for Citizen Participation, highlighted the city’s diversity as a key strength: “The City of Brussels is not only the capital of Europe, it is also the most diverse city in Europe. It is precisely this diversity that makes Brussels an ideal laboratory for participatory and democratic innovation. Thanks to this title, the City will become the European centre for democratic and participatory projects for one year, with the aim of strengthening citizens’ resilience and further building trust between the city administration and neighbourhoods.”
The European Capital of Democracy initiative aims to encourage cities to expand citizen participation and develop innovative democratic practices, with the annual programme serving as a platform for collaboration between residents, civil society and public institutions.
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