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Violence and hate speech against politicians: a threat to democracy

Other author
Parliamentary Assembly
Session
2026 - Second part-session

Summary

The Parliamentary Assembly highlights concerns about the rising violence and hate speech against politicians in many Council of Europe member and observer states, threatening democracy by deterring political participation and affecting politicians' mental health. Specific groups, such as women and minority representatives, face disproportionate targeting. The Assembly urges the Committee of Ministers to consider establishing a mechanism, like a platform or observatory, to identify and track these threats and calls for the development of early warning systems to prevent democratic backsliding. This initiative aligns with the 2023 Reykjavík Principles for Democracy and could strengthen democratic security through understanding and preventing violence against politicians.

Voting results

117 in favor 0 against 2 abstentions