Press Release – Cascais, Portugal, 31 October 2026
Eight European Political Innovations Win the Innovation in Politics Awards 2026 in CascaisÂ
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Selected by a Citizens’ Jury of more than 1,000 Europeans, the eight winning projects demonstrate how innovative political solutions are making a tangible difference – from citizen participation and climate action to education, inclusion and democratic resilience.
Cascais, Portugal, 31 October 2026 – Eight outstanding political initiatives from across Europe have been named winners of the Innovation in Politics Awards 2026, recognising projects that address pressing societal challenges through innovative and effective political action. The winners were announced on 30 October at an awards ceremony in Cascais, the European Capital of Democracy 2026.
Selected by an international Citizens’ Jury of more than 1,000 Europeans from over 300 submissions across 35 countries, the winning initiatives offer practical solutions to challenges faced by communities across Europe.
From making public spending more transparent in Hungary and expanding access to government services in rural Spain to developing community-based inclusion programmes in Portugal, this year’s winners demonstrate how political innovation can deliver meaningful improvements in people’s everyday lives.
Established in 2017 by The Innovation in Politics Institute, the Awards recognise courageous, creative and effective political initiatives, highlighting solutions with the potential to inspire and be adapted by other communities across Europe.
The Winners of the Innovation in Politics Awards 2026
The eight winning projects were recognised across categories reflecting some of Europe’s most pressing political and societal challenges.
Challenging Authoritarianism
KözpénzRadar: Putting Public Oversight in Citizens’ Hands | Hungary
KözpénzRadar empowers citizens to monitor the use of public funds through crowdsourcing and gamification, helping expose potential misuse of state resources and strengthening transparency and public accountability.
Climate Protection
LeĂłn Smart Solar City | LeĂłn, Spain
By connecting municipal buildings through a shared solar energy network, León is transforming how cities generate and use renewable energy. The initiative saves more than €620,000 annually and reduces CO₂ emissions by approximately 860 tonnes, demonstrating the potential of collective energy solutions at city level.
Democracy
Navarra Mobile Citizen Office: No Village Left Behind | Navarra, Spain
Navarra is bringing public administration directly to rural communities through a mobile citizen office, improving access to government services, supporting digital inclusion and ensuring that residents in smaller and more remote villages are not left behind.
Digital Innovation & Governance
Think Global, Test in Tallinn | Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn is opening its urban infrastructure to innovators, enabling startups to test technologies and develop solutions to real challenges faced by the city. From AI-powered traffic monitoring to drone detection, the initiative creates opportunities to turn promising ideas into practical public services.
Education
Learning Bratislava: A City Behind Its Teachers | Bratislava, Slovakia
Bratislava has developed a city-wide support system for teachers, combining professional development, peer learning and burnout prevention. Having reached more than 3,000 teachers, the initiative demonstrates how local governments can strengthen education by investing in the people who deliver it.
Local Citizen Engagement – ELDA
Our Compass is Digital Participation! | NilĂĽfer, TĂĽrkiye
NilĂĽfer has expanded its longstanding neighbourhood participation model through digital elections, creating new opportunities for residents to take part in local democratic processes and making civic engagement more accessible and inclusive.
Public Health & Ageing Society
PIIC-me: Personalised Pathways for Young People with Disabilities | Cascais, Portugal
PIIC-me supports young people with disabilities in their transition to adulthood through personalised, community-based pathways. By connecting participants with opportunities for employment, training and social inclusion, the initiative promotes greater independence and participation in community life.
Strengthening Europe
CommitClimate | Latvia
Developed through European cross-border cooperation, CommitClimate provides municipalities with a free digital tool to model emissions, explore policy scenarios and develop evidence-based climate action plans, helping local governments strengthen their capacity to respond to shared environmental challenges.
Explore the winning initiatives and discover more political innovations from across Europe: https://awards.innovationinpolitics.eu/best-practices-hub/
Together, the eight projects demonstrate the breadth of political innovation taking place across Europe. While addressing different challenges, they share a commitment to developing practical, citizen-focused solutions that can inspire other communities and public institutions.
Cascais Brings Europe’s Political Innovators Together
As the European Capital of Democracy 2026, Cascais welcomed political leaders, policymakers, experts and innovators from across Europe for the Innovation in Politics Awards Conference and Gala on 30 October.
The conference brought together finalists and decision-makers to exchange experiences, discuss innovative approaches to governance and explore how successful political initiatives can be adapted and implemented in different European contexts.
The day concluded with the Awards Gala at the Estoril Congress Centre, where the eight winning projects were recognised for their contributions to political innovation.
We were particularly honoured to welcome Yulia Navalnaya, political activist and widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny who was killed in a Russian prison, as a guest at this year’s Awards Gala.
Held under the patronage of the European Parliament and under the auspices of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the Awards underline the importance of recognising and sharing political solutions that strengthen democratic governance across Europe.
Helfried Carl, Founder and CEO of the European Capital of Democracy Initiative, said: “The Innovation in Politics Awards have become an integral part of the European Capital of Democracy programme, connecting political innovators across national and institutional boundaries and making their work accessible to decision-makers seeking effective solutions to common challenges. All these inspiring projects show that democracy delivers when there is courage, vision and a long-term perspective combined with political leadership. We are proud to be the greatest hub of best-practice exchange of political innovation in Europe.”Â
Following Cascais in 2026, the Innovation in Politics Awards will take place in Brussels, the European Capital of Democracy 2027.
About the Innovation in Politics Awards
Established in 2017 by The Innovation in Politics Institute, the Innovation in Politics Awards recognise outstanding political initiatives from Council of Europe member states and Kosovo, regardless of political affiliation or level of government.
Each year, a Citizens’ Jury of more than 1,000 Europeans evaluates submitted projects based on their innovation and impact, placing citizens at the centre of the selection process.
Since 2024, the Awards have been organised by the European Capital of Democracy NPO and form part of the official programme of the designated European Capital of Democracy. Beyond the annual Awards, the initiative promotes the exchange of successful political practices through its Best Practices Hub, helping decision-makers discover solutions that can be adapted and replicated across Europe.
More information: https://awards.innovationinpolitics.eu/
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Media Contact
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Tel.: +43 660 795 5921
Email: fk@capitalofdemocracy.eu