According to Hřib, the initiative was first thought up by Karácsony,[2] who, after winning an election against Fidesz' preferred candidate in October 2019, is facing reduction in local government autonomy.
[5][6][3] According to Euractiv.pl, the pact is ideologically inspired by the 2013 book If Mayors Ruled the World: Dysfunctional Nations, Rising Cities by American sociologist Benjamin Barber.
[5] They published an article on the website of European Council on Foreign Relations to explain their decision, stating that they believe in "an open society based on our cherished common values of freedom, human dignity, democracy, sustainability, equality, the rule of law, social justice, tolerance, and cultural diversity".
[7][6] The pact has also been described as "anti-populist"; at the signing ceremony, Hřib said that populism provides "a simple and wrong answer to the problems" facing their cities and countries.
Trzaskowski wanted to be able to access European Green Deal funds in order to implement environmentally friendly policies in Warsaw.