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Ghent under new leadership: De Clercq becomes Eurocities chairman!
Mathias De Clercq, Mayor of Ghent, leads Eurocities and advocates for targeted investments in urban needs.
Ghent under new leadership: De Clercq becomes Eurocities chairman!
On June 6, 2025, Mathias De Clercq, the mayor of Ghent, was elected chairman of the European city network Eurocities. This appointment will allow him to represent the interests of 222 cities in 38 countries for the next two years, representing a total of around 150 million Europeans. Gent has been a member of the Eurocities network since 1998 and has served on the board continuously since 2009. This new role allows the city to bring urban challenges into the European political agenda.
During his term, De Clercq plans to advocate for strong European policies and targeted investments tailored to the specific needs of urban populations. What is particularly noteworthy is that 75% of Europeans live in urban areas, which underlines the importance of this issue. “We must ensure that political decisions reflect the reality and challenges of our cities,” emphasized the new chairman.
Role and influence of Eurocities
Eurocities promotes collaboration, political influence and knowledge exchange between European cities. The network brings together mayors, aldermen and officials to strengthen urban ambitions and develop shared solutions. This significantly promotes the perception and implementation of urban policies at a European level.
A notable aspect of the new structure is the election of Barcelona as vice president of the network. This shows Eurocities' diversified leadership and emphasizes collaboration between different cities. Mathias De Clercq sees this as an opportunity for Ghent to respond to ongoing urban problems and to speak out strongly for the concerns of the city's population.
The connection with Daniël Termont, the former mayor of Ghent, who was also chairman of Eurocities from 2008 to 2010, brings continuity and experience to this position. Termont shaped the city during his term in office from 2007 to 2018 and continues to advocate for the interests of Ghent and European urban development.
Overall, the election of De Clercq and the resulting increased presence of Ghent in the Eurocities network represents an important step in European urban policy. With the upcoming challenge of focusing on urban needs, Ghent will have a decisive influence on future developments in urban areas.