06/10/2015 Political Affairs and Democracy
Jordi Xuclà (Spain, ALDE), rapporteur for the PACE Political Affairs Committee on the “Evaluation of the Partnership for Democracy with the Palestinian National Council”, has started a fact-finding visit to the Palestinian Territories today, which will continue tomorrow.
In Ramallah, Mr Xuclà is due to meet several representatives of the Palestinian Authority, including President Mahmoud Abbas, the Deputy Prime Minister, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Discussions are also scheduled with the different parliamentary blocs, the Chairperson of the Central Election Commission, Palestinian intellectuals, and NGOs representatives.
The Palestinian National Council (PNC) obtained Partnership for Democracy status with PACE on 4 October 2011 on the basis of Resolution 1830 (2011). This status was introduced by PACE in 2009 to develop institutional co-operation with the parliaments of neighbouring states of the Council of Europe. It enables a six-member delegation of elected Palestinian representatives to take part in Assembly activities (without voting). In return, the PNC pledged to apply the values upheld by the Council of Europe, to hold free and fair elections and to work for the abolition of the death penalty.
Adopting its Resolution 1969 (2014) on 28 January 2014, the Assembly made a first assessment of the progress achieved in implementing the political commitments undertaken by the PNC. Mr Xuclà continues reviewing the implementation of political reforms in Palestine* and will make a new assessment of the partnership within 2016.
*Following Resolution 67/19 of the General Assembly of the United Nations, PACE decided to use the name “Palestine” in the Assembly list and related documents.