23/06/2026 | 12:39:26 Thank you, Madam President, Madam Minister. We note with regret that the Council of Europe, the continent’s oldest and most inclusive European institution, sometimes sees its decision-making processes overshadowed by narrow and exclusive approaches centred on Brussels. Yet the Committee of Ministers is the supreme decision-making body responsible for shaping the framework for political dialogue within the Council. Under the Monegasque Presidency, how do you intend to mobilise the... 23/06/2026 | 11:54:31 Thank you, Madam Chair, Dear colleagues, I would like to reiterate a fundamental principle to which we are all committed: respect for the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. The developments concerning Türkiye that have recently been mentioned are currently the subject of ongoing legal proceedings. In a state governed by the rule of law, it is for the competent courts, and not for political leaders, to establish the facts, examine the evidence and deliver their judgements in... 23/04/2026 | 12:33:15 Thank you, Madam Chairman, Ladies and gentlemen, Respect for international law cannot be selective or circumstantial. It must not depend on the players involved or the political balance of power at the time. A credible international order cannot be based on variable geometry interpretations. Today, in the wider Middle East, we are witnessing a worrying deterioration in peace and stability. Recent actions by certain state actors show a dangerous tendency to circumvent the fundamental rules of... 22/04/2026 | 18:24:45 Thank you, Madam Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, Today we are faced with an extremely serious development. The Knesset has approved a law aimed at reintroducing the death penalty, which represents a fundamental break with the core values of our Council of Europe. Let us be clear: the abolition of the death penalty is not an option, it is a fundamental principle. To go back on it is to deliberately depart from the most basic standards of human rights. What makes this situation even more... 27/01/2026 | 11:49:55 Thank you, Madam Chairman. Congratulations once again. Mr Secretary General, Over the past year, some Council of Europe member states have taken the initiative in criticising the Court's interpretation of the Convention in relation to irregular migration. My question is very similar to that of Mr Emmanuel FERNANDES, but I think it is important to come back to it once again, because these positions have highlighted the differences between the Member States on this issue. In the context of your... 02/10/2025 | 11:53:25 Mister Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear colleagues, On 8 September, I took part in a visit to the Rafah border crossing with a delegation of Turkish parliamentarians. Hundreds of lorries carrying humanitarian aid were still blocked at the border, while thousands of people had already lost their lives as a result of the famine in Gaza. I'm not telling you a story, I'm describing a scene I witnessed first-hand. This threat of starvation by Israel is collective punishment of defenceless... 25/06/2025 | 16:45:49 Mr Chairman, ladies and gentlemen. Before I begin, I would like to say that this speech will be dedicated to a little girl, Ward AL-SHEIKH KHALIL. On the night of 25 May, Israel bombed a new school shelter in Gaza. Among the 35 victims, at least 18 children were burnt to death in the flames, while dozens of others were seriously injured. Two classrooms burned to the ground, with many refugees sheltering inside. A video widely circulated on social networks shows a little girl, Ward AL-SHEIKH... 10/04/2025 | 16:38:22 Thank you, Mister Chairman. There is genocide in Gaza, in Palestine. I have to say the word "genocide" several times because we have to keep repeating it, we have to prioritise the genocide in Gaza in one of the world's greatest international institutions. Here. The Council of Europe. Do you remember the last time you witnessed an ambulance passing by with its siren on? Do you remember the profound respect with which other vehicles cleared the way? On the morning of 23 March, in images taken... 09/04/2025 | 19:38:11 Thank you, Madam Chairman. Ladies and gentlemen, The judgments handed down by the Court are the expression of the will of a united Europe, which seeks to guarantee human dignity, freedom and equality for all its citizens, whatever their nationality, origin or belief. On the other hand, discriminatory approaches and double standards between member states undermine the credibility of the Council of Europe. Focusing on just one or two issues, selectively damning one or two countries and ignoring... 09/04/2025 | 16:44:22 Thank you, Mister Chairman. Rule of law, democracy, justice, equality before the law, I've lost count of the number of times we've mentioned all these concepts in this House. However, when it comes to Türkiye, I regret to see that some of our colleagues think that the application of these concepts should vary from one country to another. An independent and impartial judiciary is one of the most important elements of a democratic constitutional state. I find it completely contrary to the...