Western Balkans
Locweb 2026: Rebuilding Liberal Politics from the Ground Up
The 2026 conference of "Locweb – The Network of Local Politicians from the Western Balkans" brought together liberal councillors committed to strengthening politics where it matters most: at the local level. Building on a cooperation with the Renew Europe Group in the EU Committee of the Regions developed since 2023, this initiative continues to show that any serious revival of liberal politics in the Western Balkans must begin in municipalities and cities, where citizens most directly see whether politicians serve the public interest or merely reproduces inertia, clientelism, and closed networks.
This year’s programme focused on three areas that are both politically relevant and locally tangible: digitalization of municipal services, anti-corruption tools and safeguards, and housing policies for young people and families. These are not abstract policy themes, but concrete questions of whether local government can become more transparent, more efficient, and more responsive to citizens.
The event brought together local councillors from Bosnian party "Naša stranka" and Serbian "Pokret slobodnih građana", confirming once again that liberal political renewal in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia must be built through stronger cooperation among actors who work closest to citizens and who are best placed to translate liberal values into practical policies.
Strong contributions came from Dr. Tsvetelina Simeonova-Zarkin, bureau member of the Renew Europe Group from the Bulgarian party "We Continue the Change", as well as from Ademir Mustić and Marc Jurić from the German Free Democrats, whose engagement brought valuable European, regional, and practical perspectives to the discussion. Their participation also underlined the growing added value of stronger FDP involvement from Germany.
While the project previously included Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia, from 2026 onward the framework is more focused on Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. This more targeted format should allow deeper cooperation, stronger political exchange, and more concrete policy outcomes. At the same time, increased FDP participation from Germany adds an important new dimension of political partnership and expertise.
The ambition now is clear: to extend this cooperation for another two years and deepen the network further. In a political environment marked by democratic fatigue, institutional weakness, and constant pressure on liberal values, rebuilding credible liberal politics from the local level is not optional. It is necessary.