The role of local government in the contemporary world is changing as local democracy is gaining momentum from West to East and North to South. The´Report on Decentralization and Local Democracy in the World´published by ´United Cities and Local Governments´offers a comparative analysis of the situation of local authorities around the world. The Report shows that decentralisation has established itself as a political and institutional phenomenon in most countries around the globe. However, the differences between countries and regions remain considerable. In European countries, the value attached to the role of local institutions is relatively large. Therefore, strengthening local governance in Europe is of great importance.