NPR: Liberal U.S. mayors team up with European counterparts to fight authoritarianism.
Ten liberal American mayors officially joined the Pact of Free Cities at its Bratislava summit to align with European counterparts in defending democratic values against rising authoritarianism. The mayors shared practical survival tactics, such as using aggressive public transparency to counter federal funding cuts and reframing local culture wars around universal free speech rights. Despite receiving criticism from the White House, which dismissed the summit as a publicity stunt, local leaders emphasized that municipal cooperation is essential to safeguarding human rights when national governments falter.
The Enquirer: Cincinnati mayor joins global pact to fight 'nationalist populism'.
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval has joined nine other U.S. mayors in aligning with the "Pact of Free Cities," a global alliance originally founded in Eastern Europe to defend democratic values. The collaborative network allows municipal leaders to share direct strategies for protecting local governance, civil liberties, and public funding from the pressures of authoritarianism and right-wing nationalist populism. By joining this pact, Cincinnati and its international counterparts aim to leverage local city governance as a critical stronghold for progressive policies and democratic resilience.
Euronews: Local governments are increasingly effective in defending democracy - says former US ambassador to ASEAN Nina Hachigian.
Former US Ambassador Nina Hachigian emphasizes that local governments are becoming powerful frontlines of defense for democracy because municipal leaders can deliver practical, non-ideological solutions directly to their residents. By engaging in subnational diplomacy and grassroots community partnerships, these cities effectively counter global threats like polarization, disinformation, and authoritarianism far more agilely than national governments often can.
Monacle Radio: Why co-housing could be the answer to urban loneliness.
Former US Ambassador Nina Hachigian emphasizes that local governments are uniquely positioned to defend democracy because they focus on pragmatic, non-ideological, day-to-day solutions for their residents. She notes that through subnational diplomacy and grassroots municipal networks, cities can counter global threats like disinformation far more agilely and effectively than gridlocked national governments.
Corriere Della Sera: The US Mayor "We've have never had to defend ourselves from our own government before".
Beaverton Mayor Lacey Beaty, one of ten U.S. mayors who joined the Pact of Free Cities in Bratislava, told Italy's Corriere della Sera that American cities are facing an unprecedented situation — dealing with a federal government that threatens to withhold funding from cities that don't comply with its demands, making it difficult for local government to function. Beaty said joining the alliance gives U.S. mayors the opportunity to learn from European counterparts who have long navigated similar pressures from hostile national governments, and stressed that democracy is best defended and felt at the local level, where government is closest to people's daily lives. She also used the interview to warn that American democracy is in danger, nominating Minneapolis for the Nobel Peace Prize and calling on Americans — including military families — to pay closer attention to what their government is doing at home and abroad.
The Times: We are Moscow’s Trojan horse no more, Hungarian minister declares.
Hungary’s newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Anita Orbán, declared that the country will no longer act as Russia's "Trojan horse" within the European Union. The statement marks a dramatic foreign policy shift for Budapest after years of the previous administration blocking Ukraine aid, opposing Kremlin sanctions, and allegedly leaking confidential EU data to Moscow. While the new pro-European government vows to rebuild broken ties with Brussels and hold Russia accountable as the aggressor, it will maintain a pragmatic approach to energy by continuing necessary Russian oil and gas imports due to Hungary's landlocked geography
Pact of Free Cities: Transatlantic Expansion at the Pact of Free Cities Bratislava Summit.
The Pact of Free Cities summit in Bratislava marked its most significant milestone by formally expanding into transatlantic territory with the induction of 10 progressive U.S. cities, including Boston, Chicago, and San Antonio. Global mayors at the conference discussed strategies to use municipal governance as a frontline shield for human rights and democracy against rising national populism, polarization, and federal interference. To effectively manage this rapid global growth, the network approved a light institutionalization by establishing a permanent secretariat in Budapest and a new five-member executive leadership board.
San Antonio Express-News: What’s the Pact of Free Cities and why is San Antonio part of it?
San Antonio has officially joined the Pact of Free Cities, partnering with a global network of progressive municipalities to share strategies on defending democratic values and combating authoritarianism. Mayor Ron Nirenberg aligned the city with the alliance to help counter democratic backsliding and rebuild international relationships that have been strained by rising political polarization. This partnership allows San Antonio to collaborate directly with both European and American counterparts on key local issues like human rights and urban resilience. Ultimately, the move positions San Antonio as part of a global, municipal frontline aimed at protecting civic institutions when national governments falter.
Barna Diario: Barcelona joins the Executive Committee of the Pact of Free Cities.
Barcelona has officially been elected to the alliance's newly established five-member Executive Committee. This leadership group, which also includes the mayors of Bratislava, Budapest, Zagreb, and Paris, was created to guide the alliance's strategic direction as it transitions into a more structured global entity. By joining the committee, Barcelona solidifies its influential role in the network's expanded mission to defend democratic values, counter polarization, and foster transatlantic cooperation among progressive global cities.
Denik: Twenty city representatives from around the world have arrived in Bratislava for the Free Cities Pact summit.
Bratislava hosted the annual summit of the Pact of Free Cities, welcoming twenty mayors and city representatives from across the globe to discuss local strategies for safeguarding democracy against rapid geopolitical shifts and security threats. A central focus of the conference was managing community resilience and societal polarization, with local leaders emphasizing that cities must serve as a frontline shield for democratic values when populist national governments falter. Attended by representatives from major metropolises like Paris, London, and war-torn Ukrainian cities like Kharkiv and Lviv, the summit also marked a significant expansion into transatlantic cooperation with the inclusion of progressive American mayors.
Bratislavské Noviny: Bratislava hosts mayors and city representatives from all over the world
Bratislava hosted the annual summit of the Pact of Free Cities, welcoming twenty mayors and political representatives from around the globe to discuss strategies for protecting democracy against rising security threats and public polarization. A major highlight of the conference was the formal expansion of the alliance into the transatlantic space, officially inducting ten progressive mayors from the United States into the network. To manage its growing global footprint, the members approved a light institutionalization of the group, establishing a permanent secretariat in Budapest and creating a rotating five-member executive board ahead of the 2027 summit in Amsterdam.
The Journal Record: Oklahoma City takes center stage in national, global mayoral leadership
Oklahoma City took center stage in both national and global mayoral leadership this week, hosting the U.S. Conference of Mayors fall meeting — presided over by Mayor David Holt as the organization's president — where more than 40 mayors gathered to address public safety, housing affordability, and signed the bipartisan Oklahoma City Declaration rejecting political violence. Simultaneously, Oklahoma City was announced as one of ten U.S. cities joining the Pact of Free Cities, the international pro-democracy coalition founded in 2019 by the mayors of Bratislava, Budapest, Prague, and Warsaw, connecting OKC to a global network of cities sharing strategies on governance, safety, and democratic resilience.
The Wall Street Journal: Gavin Newsom heads to Germany
California Governor Gavin Newsom headed to the Munich Security Conference as part of a broader pattern of high-profile international appearances aimed at positioning himself as Democrats' leading counter to Trump, just weeks after attending the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Los Angeles Times: Newsom heads to Munich conference
Governor Gavin Newsom traveled to the Munich Security Conference to reassure European allies, declaring "Donald Trump is temporary" and urging world leaders to maintain partnerships with U.S. states like California during the current period of federal instability. He signed a clean technology agreement with the UK securing a $1 billion investment commitment, and was joined by a host of other Democrats with 2028 presidential ambitions looking to build their foreign policy credentials on the world stage.
Politico: Mayor Wu heads to Munich
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu became the first American mayor invited to the Munich Security Conference, joining the mayors of Kyiv and Warsaw on a panel focused on city leadership and diplomacy at a time of heightened US-Europe tensions. She also announced Boston's entry into the Pact of Free Cities, a European network of mayors committed to defending democracy and progressive values.
Boston Globe: Boston Mayor Wu to travel to Germany to speak at Munich Security Conference
"Wu is the first American mayor to participate in the annual gathering of international leaders, and will speak on a panel focused on city leadership and democracy alongside Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski [...] The panel will be moderated by Amb. Nina Hachigian (ret), a former US ambassador and current chief executive of the Alliance for Local Leaders International, a nonprofit that facilitates policy discussions between local leaders worldwide." -- The Boston Globe
Press Release: ALLIES to Moderate Transatlantic Spotlight with Governor Newsom and Minister-President Rhein at Munich Security Conference
Governor Gavin Newsom (California, USA) and Minister-President Minister-President Boris Rhein (Hesse, Germany), moderated by ALLIES Founder & CEO Ambassador (ret.) Nina Hachigian, convened at the 2026 Munich Security Conference to examine how state and regional leaders are sustaining transatlantic ties and renewing democracy against a backdrop of global uncertainty. By bringing local leadership to the forefront of the Conference, ALLIES advanced its mission to elevate the role of local leaders in protecting and renewing effective governance and democratic values.
Press Release: Mayors on the Frontline: Perspectives on Global Stability at the Munich Security Conference
ALLIES facilitated the Munich Security Conference’s first all-mayor panel on February 14, 2026, bringing together Mayors Vitali Klitschko (Kyiv, Ukraine; in absentia), Rafał Trzaskowski (Warsaw, Poland), and Michelle Wu (Boston, USA) to discuss the role of mayors protecting and renewing democratic values. The panel was moderated by ALLIES Founder & CEO Ambassador (ret.) Nina Hachigian.
Press Release: Alliance for Local Leaders International Equips Local Leaders to Tackle Global Challenges
Former U.S. Ambassador Nina Hachigian, who served as the first U.S. Special Representative for Subnational Diplomacy and as Los Angeles’ Deputy Mayor for International Affairs, announced the launch of the Alliance for Local Leaders International (ALLIES). This nonpartisan nonprofit empowers local and state leaders to collaborate across borders, share practical solutions, and strengthen the foundations of responsive and effective governance.
