FAQ
FAQ’s on the Selection Process of European Capital of Democracy 2028
When does the European Capital of Democracy 2028 Call open, and when can cities apply?
The Call for the European Capital of Democracy 2028 opens in June 2026. Cities can submit their application from the opening of the Call until the application phase ends in November 2026. The full timeline is set out below, and you can prepare your application via the How to apply page.
What is the timeline for the European Capital of Democracy 2028 selection process?
The selection process for the European Capital of Democracy 2028 follows the timeline below:
Which cities are eligible to apply for the European Capital of Democracy title?
The European Capital of Democracy 2028 Call is open to cities with a population of over 100,000 within the member states of the Council of Europe enjoying full rights of representation (currently Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom), and Kosovo.
Does a city need to meet a minimum population requirement to apply for the European Capital of Democracy title?
Yes. The European Capital of Democracy 2028 Call is open to cities with a population of over 100,000. In individual cases worthy of special consideration, ECoD NPO may also admit cities with a population of just under 100,000 to the Call.
What is the definition of a “City” for the European Capital of Democracy Call?
For the European Capital of Democracy Call, a City is a local administrative unit with forms of legal self-determination and budgetary autonomy and an elected or democratically appointed executive leadership, including metropolitan areas and conurbations. Special cases need to be evaluated on an individual basis.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at office@capitalofdemocracy.eu.
What does a city need to apply for the European Capital of Democracy title?
The application for the European Capital of Democracy 2028 consists of two steps (see the Call Document). It starts with online self-evaluations of the technical, organisational and democracy prerequisites. After pre-screening by ECoD NPO, Step 2 requires a mission statement (including an executive summary), current and/or completed democracy projects, and project ideas, in a predefined form and structure. A City Council resolution (or similar) for participating in the ECoD Call must also be adopted, and a contact person or office as well as a project team established.
We strongly encourage every interested city to arrange a zoom-call with our City Applications Manager who will guide you through the process.
What requirements must a city fulfill in order to apply for the European Capital of Democracy title?
To apply for the European Capital of Democracy 2028 title, a city must meet the eligibility criteria. These include having a population of over 100,000 and being a Council of Europe member state or Kosovo, and completing the Democracy and Prerequisites self-evaluation, as set out in the Call Document. The ECoD team will then assess how well the city’s infrastructure can cope with the set maximum visitor numbers in terms of transportation and accommodation during the given time frames.
When will applications for the European Capital of Democracy 2028 be evaluated, and when will a city know the result?
After receiving an application for the European Capital of Democracy 2028, ECoD NPO checks its formal correctness and completeness. Applicants are notified roughly one week after submission of Part 1 whether the information is complete and they can continue with Part 2 until November. From November 2026 to February 2027, the Experts’ Jury evaluates submissions and decides which cities are shortlisted as Nominee Cities. Cities are informed of their admission to the Call and the European City Network during the application phase, in line with the published timeline.
Can a city apply for the European Capital of Democracy title with projects addressing emerging crises, such as supporting refugees or people in need?
Yes. For the European Capital of Democracy, taking care of people in need and citizens fleeing from wars is without doubt understood as a democracy project, covered by the Dimensions of Democracy. Initiating such support in the short term shows the high level of the city’s resilience, its engagement for human rights and social cohesion.
Our city has municipal elections scheduled during the selection or Democracy Year period — can we still apply for the European Capital of Democracy title?
Yes. All eligible cities that submit a complete European Capital of Democracy application (including mission statement, democracy projects and project ideas) within the application phase are accepted as members of the European City Network. Cities with scheduled elections on the local, municipal or city level that directly affect the Mayor and/or the body entrusted with implementing European Capital of Democracy in the title-holding city during the Democracy Year are assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Experts’ Jury and ECoD NPO. The ECoD team is available to discuss this at any point, ideally as early as possible in the process.
Does the confidentiality clause mean a city cannot publicly announce its participation in the European Capital of Democracy initiative?
No. Cities are free to publicly announce their participation in the European Capital of Democracy initiative. The confidentiality clause only means that ECoD NPO does not announce the names of cities which do not submit a complete application, are not eligible, or are rejected for other reasons as laid out in the Call Document and its annexes.
What is the official language for the European Capital of Democracy Call, applications and related documents?
English is the official language for the European Capital of Democracy Call and is to be used in all documents and correspondence.
How is the European Capital of Democracy selected, and how independent is the process?
The European Capital of Democracy is selected through a multi-stage process that separates formal screening, expert evaluation and the final citizen decision. First, the ECoD team checks that applications are complete and meet the eligibility criteria — a formal step that does not determine the winner. The Experts’ Jury then evaluates the applications, visits the most promising cities and draws up a Shortlist of up to three Nominee Cities. The final decision is taken independently by the ECoD Citizens’ Jury, which consists of more than 5,500 citizens from all Council of Europe Member States and Kosovo voting via a secure online platform.
The Experts’ Jury is composed of five distinguished professionals in democracy, urban planning and development. As a further safeguard, applicant cities must provide formal documentation, and for reasons of professional conduct and impartiality, participants are asked not to contact Jury members or members of the Consortium directly. The initiative is also monitored continuously, including with academic assistance from a partner institution.
What evaluation criteria are used to assess applications for the European Capital of Democracy title?
For the European Capital of Democracy title, the Experts’ Jury evaluates applications based on five criteria, selecting three Nominee Cities (from which the winning city is chosen by the Citizens’ Jury):
- Collaboration: active partnerships with other organisations, institutions and stakeholders
- Exchange: communication, dissemination and sharing of local initiatives
- Innovation: ambition and appeal of the programme and its main activities
- Organisation: management capacity, project and budget resources
- Output: planned activities and dissemination measures, and how effectively they reach target audiences, media and citizens
The Mission Statement indicates the city’s ambition and motivation and includes an awareness of its strengths and challenges. The Democracy Projects form the core of the application and should each link back to the Mission Statement and one or more of the Dimensions of Democracy. The Project Ideas show which challenges cities aim to tackle in the future. These Project Ideas are assessed on criteria such as the ambition of the project, political support and likelihood of implementation. The Local Context is assessed in terms of organisational capacity, active partnerships, potential reach of citizens, and cooperation with Civil Society Organisations.
What are the benefits for a city of applying for the European Capital of Democracy title and joining the European City Network?
When applying for the European Capital of Democracy title, cities become part of the European City Network to strengthen deliberative and participatory democracy in Europe. By applying, cities share their most innovative best practice and expertise. Members profit from mutual exchange of knowledge and experience, access to international expertise and cooperation, multiplying the reach and impact of their innovative projects. Cooperation with universities and think tanks researching democratic activities is fostered under the umbrella of the initiative, and member cities collaborate on pressing issues with citizens, experts and other stakeholders.
How are cities from different political and national contexts compared fairly in the European Capital of Democracy selection?
In the European Capital of Democracy selection, cities are not compared on the basis of national political systems. They are assessed on their own applications, their democratic practices at city level, and the quality, ambition and feasibility of the projects they submit. The Experts’ Jury evaluates all submissions using the same core criteria — Collaboration, Exchange, Innovation, Organisation and Output — while taking into account the local objectives, circumstances and priorities of each city. This makes it possible to assess cities fairly while recognising that they operate in different contexts and face different challenges.
Applicant cities must also meet clear democratic prerequisites. They must confirm, among other things, that multiple parties compete in free and fair elections at city level, that elected municipal governments can operate without interference from unelected bodies, and that oversight mechanisms exist to prevent abuse of power. A non-partisan approach and broad political support are essential foundations for a successful Democracy Year.
Who receives the European Capital of Democracy title — the city, the national government, or an institution?
The European Capital of Democracy title is awarded to a city, not to a national government or an international institution. For example, the title was awarded to Vienna, not Austria; to Barcelona, not Spain or Catalonia; to Cascais, not Portugal; and to Brussels, not Belgium or the European Union. The title honours the work of the city administration, local institutions, civil society organisations and citizens who contribute to strengthening democracy locally. It does not evaluate or award national governments, national political systems, or European institutions.
Can the title of European Capital of Democracy be bought by a city?
No. The European Capital of Democracy title cannot be purchased. Cities are selected through a multi-stage, independent process involving both the Experts’ Jury and the Citizens’ Jury. The Experts’ Jury evaluates the applications and identifies up to three shortlisted cities; the final decision is made independently by the Citizens’ Jury. Financial contributions associated with participation are clearly outlined in the Call Document and are independent of the selection outcome.
Who receives the European Capital of Democracy title — the city, the national government, or an institution?
In the European Capital of Democracy selection, cities are not compared on the basis of national political systems. They are assessed on their own applications, their democratic practices at city level, and the quality, ambition and feasibility of the projects they submit. The Experts’ Jury evaluates all submissions using the same core criteria — Collaboration, Exchange, Innovation, Organisation and Output — while taking into account the local objectives, circumstances and priorities of each city. This makes it possible to assess cities fairly while recognising that they operate in different contexts and face different challenges.
Applicant cities must also meet clear democratic prerequisites. They must confirm, among other things, that multiple parties compete in free and fair elections at city level, that elected municipal governments can operate without interference from unelected bodies, and that oversight mechanisms exist to prevent abuse of power. A non-partisan approach and broad political support are essential foundations for a successful Democracy Year.
Are there any fees associated with applying for or participating in the European Capital of Democracy initiative?
Yes. Cities participating in the European Capital of Democracy initiative contribute financially to the broader programme. Cities that submit a successful application and join the European City Network contribute a membership fee of EUR 5,000 per year, supporting network activities such as meetings, workshops and exchange formats. If Applicant Cities submit their applications by 30 July 2026 they receive a 50% reduction on the European City Network membership fee. In addition, the city selected as European Capital of Democracy is invited and expected to join the ECoD Consortium and contribute EUR 50,000 per year to support the preparation, implementation and communication of its Democracy Year. These contributions are publicly documented in the Call for Applications and are independent of the selection process.
Who finances the democracy projects and project ideas included in a city’s application for European Capital of Democracy?
Current and completed democracy projects as laid out in a city’s European Capital of Democracy application have to be financed, organised and implemented by the city itself. It is possible to apply for co-funding of project ideas together with other members of the European City Network and/or ECoD NPO and other partner organisations.
Does winning the European Capital of Democracy title include a financial prize or grant?
No. Neither participating in the European Capital of Democracy Call nor winning the title generates any prize money. However, members of the European City Network profit from EU co-financing of meetings and webinars, as well as access to funding instruments and opportunities that can be jointly explored. ECoD NPO and its partners additionally bring well-established event formats, such as The Innovation in Politics Awards and the ACT NOW Mayors’ Conference, while the costs associated with application and participation in the ECoD Call are covered by the city.
Who are the members of the Experts’ Jury for the European Capital of Democracy selection process?
The Experts’ Jury for the European Capital of Democracy selection process consists of five members:
- Sanja Bojanic – University of Rijeka
- Paulina Fröhlich – Bertelsmann Foundation
- Bruno Kaufmann – Democracy International
- Haris Piplas – Drees & Sommer, Switzerland
- Antonella Valmorbida – ALDA Europe
Which organisation operates the European Capital of Democracy initiative?
The European Capital of Democracy is a Europe-wide initiative of ECoD gemeinnützige GmbH (ECoD NPO), a non-profit limited liability company established under Austrian Federal Law and registered under FN 568933t in the Commercial Register of the Commercial Court of Vienna, supported by The Innovation in Politics Institute GmbH.
How is the European Capital of Democracy NPO financed?
The European Capital of Democracy NPO raises its financial resources through income from national and European funds, membership fees by cities, activities (especially events, research and other services), subsidies from public institutions and private individuals, income from sponsoring, donations and other contributions.
Is there a newsletter or another regular source of updates about the European Capital of Democracy initiative?
Yes. The European Capital of Democracy publishes a monthly newsletter to keep you informed about news and updates. You can subscribe to it on our website.
Where can I register for the Citizens’ Jury to select the European Capital of Democracy?
You can join the Citizens’ Jury here.
Where can cities send individual enquiries about the European Capital of Democracy initiative?
For further information or any questions about the European Capital of Democracy initiative, please get in touch with us via office@capitalofdemocracy.eu.