Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights

Progress report | Doc. 16323 Add. 2 | 21 January 2026

Author(s):

Bureau of the Assembly

1 Report of the Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights

The Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights held a meeting in Paris on 12 January 2026, with Ms Petra Bayr (Austria, SOC) in the Chair.

The committee assessed the lists of the candidates to the Court in respect of Cyprus and the Netherlands. [(1) See Appendix 1 for the lists of candidates submitted by the government concerned. The full lists and curricula vitae of candidates can be found in Assembly documents: Doc. 16312 (Cyprus) and Doc. 16302 (Netherlands).]

2 Conclusions of the committee on the lists of candidates submitted by Cyprus and the Netherlands

2.1 Cyprus

The committee interviewed all the candidates on 12 January 2026.

The committee recommends to the Assembly, by a narrow majority, Mr Nicholas Emiliou as the most qualified candidate, over Ms Natasa Mavronicola.

2.2 Netherlands

The committee interviewed all the candidates on 12 January 2026.

The committee recommends to the Assembly, by a majority, Mr Sjoerd Bakker as the most qualified candidate.

Appendix 1 – Lists of candidates submitted by the Government of Cyprus and the Netherlands

Cyprus

• Mr Nicholas EMILIOU
• Ms Natasa MAVRONICOLA
• Ms Margarita PAPANTONIOU

Netherlands

• Mr Sjoerd BAKKER
• Ms Tamara TROTMAN
• Ms Corinna WISSELS

Appendix 2 – Members of the committee who participated in the meeting [(2) Not all members of the committee participated in the votes.]

Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group (SOC)

• Ms Petra BAYR, Austria – Chairperson
• Mr Titus CORLĂŢEAN, Romania
• Mr Constantinos EFSTATHIOU, Cyprus
• Ms Gökçe GÖKÇEN, Türkiye
• Ms Agnes Sirkka PRAMMER, Austria
• Ms Gala VELDHOEN, Netherlands

Group of the European People's Party (EPP/CD)

• Ms Andrea EDER-GITSCHTHALER, Austria
• Mr Pablo HISPÁN, Spain
• Ms Belén HOYO, Spain
• Mr Rónán MULLEN, Ireland
• Mr Sergiy VLASENKO, Ukraine

Group of the European Conservatives, Patriots & Affiliates (ECPA)

• Ms Iwona ARENT, Poland
• Ms Sylvie JOSSERAND, France
• Mr Serhii KALCHENKO, Ukraine

Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE)

• Mr Régis BERGONZI, Monaco
• Ms Stephanie KRISPER, Austria
• Ms Elena-Simona SPĂTARU, Romania

Group of the Unified European Left (UEL)

Ex officio members

• Lord Richard KEEN, United Kingdom

Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly

• Ms Despina CHATZIVASSILIOU, Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly
• Ms Sonia SIRTORI, Director of Committees – Democracy and Rule of Law
• Mr Guillem CANO PALOMARES, Head of the Secretariat of the Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights