Support for rural communities, improvements to the electoral system, and strengthening the role of local government associations are key issues for the further development of local self-government in Ukraine.

Serhii Zamidra, First Deputy Chair of the All-Ukrainian Association of Communities (VAG), who participated in the 5th High-Level Dialogue ‘Good Democratic Governance in Ukraine: Achievements, Challenges and the Way Forward in the Post-War Period’, held on 1–2 April 2026 in Strasbourg, highlighted this.

Serhii Zamidra emphasised that support for rural development is a prerequisite for the completion of decentralisation. Rural communities require targeted support mechanisms, purpose-specific investments, and specialised policies. Without these, the decentralisation reform will fail to achieve its full potential.

‘Raising the electoral threshold for party lists in local elections is also important, as this can help improve the representativeness of rural and settlement communities. And the final key factor in the development of local governments is strengthening the role of local government associations in policy-making, analytical support, and community assistance. Associations, provided they receive sustained support, must become active institutional actors in policy formulation and implementation,’ the VAG representative believes.

The participants in the dialogues outlined a series of practical steps. In particular, the financial capacity of communities is to be strengthened by expanding their powers in the administration of local taxes. The All-Ukrainian Association of Communities held a separate extended board meeting with representatives of the Ukrainian Government and Verkhovna Rada in early February 2026.

Discussions were held separately on possible areas for new international projects led by the associations, aimed to strengthen the institutional capacity of communities, develop rural areas, and support the recovery of Ukraine.

During their visit to Strasbourg, representatives of local government associations had a meeting with Gunn Marit Helgesen (Norway), the newly elected President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.

On 31 March 2026, at the 50th session of the Congress, Gunn Marit Helgesen was unanimously elected to this office. She has extensive experience in local and regional self-government and has long represented Norway in the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. During the meeting, the parties discussed priority issues for the associations in the coming period.

The meeting was held as a side event of the 50th anniversary session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe and brought together a wide range of participants: representatives of the Verkhovna Rada, the Government, the Central Election Commission, associations of local governments, as well as the Congress of the Council of Europe, the Venice Commission and PACE. Bjorn Berge, Deputy Secretary General at the Council of Europe, described this participation as ‘a powerful signal of Ukraine’s commitment to local and regional democracy and a decentralised democratic future’.