07/09/2020 | Political Affairs and Democracy
Former Belarusian presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is to address PACE's Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy by videoconference on 8 September 2020 during an exchange of views on the situation in Belarus following the 9 August Presidential election. Andrei Savinykh...
13/08/2020 | Political Affairs and Democracy
The Chairperson of PACE Political Affairs Committee, Dame Cheryl Gillan (United Kingdom, EC/DA) today made the following statement on the situation in Belarus: "I am concerned by the scenes of violence on the streets of Belarus during the protests that followed last Sunday’s Presidential...
23/06/2020 | Political Affairs and Democracy
“Pointing the finger at the alleged failures in WHO diverts countries from the painful exercise of addressing their own inadequacies and lack of preparation”, today said Charles Clift, Senior Consulting Fellow for the Global Health Programme - Chatham House, addressing the Political Affairs...
15/06/2020 | Political Affairs and Democracy
The Sub-Committee on the Middle East and the Arab World held a meeting by video-conference on 12 June 2020. Opening the meeting, George Loucaides (Cyprus, UEL), Chairperson of the Sub-Committee, stressed that the conflicts and instability in the Mediterranean region, in particular the Israeli...
29/05/2020 | Political Affairs and Democracy
How can parliaments adjust their role as guarantors of stability and democratic legitimacy during the current pandemic crisis? How can continuity of parliamentary oversight be ensured? Where do the boundaries of delegation of powers from national parliaments to the executive lie in emergency...
27/05/2020 | Political Affairs and Democracy
In a crisis situation such as the COVID-19 pandemic – where an executive, facing a number of constraints, has to take immediate action – how can parliaments adjust their role as guarantors of stability and democratic legitimacy? How can continuity of parliamentary oversight be ensured and where...
07/05/2020 | Political Affairs and Democracy
Two PACE rapporteurs have called on national policy-makers and international institutions to “act in a concerted manner now in order to beat both the virus and the crisis”, urging a strong political response which stabilises economies while protecting the vulnerable. In a joint statement...
05/05/2020 | Political Affairs and Democracy
“PACE‘s support for democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Kosovo* holds strong in these challenging times,” said PACE Rapporteur Peter BEYER (Germany, EPP/CD). “The people of Kosovo* have been hit hard by the current Coronavirus crisis, as are many others around the world. My sympathy...
07/04/2020 | Political Affairs and Democracy
“Although Artificial Intelligence (AI) may prove a useful ally in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic, we should not forget that its use may raise serious human rights concerns that can undermine the trust placed in governments,” said Deborah Bergamini.
25/03/2020 | Political Affairs and Democracy
“Democracy and parliamentary scrutiny of governments, even if exercised through new means, must be protected during the COVID-19 pandemic,” warns Dame Cheryl Gillan, Chairperson of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy.
04/02/2020 | Political Affairs and Democracy
Democratic institutions are under threat today in many Council of Europe member States, including some founding ones, warns Marie-Christine Dalloz, rapporteur on "Fostering healthy democracies in Europe".
30/01/2020 | Political Affairs and Democracy
"The Committee on Political Affairs believes that the Middle East peace process must be urgently re-activated to meet legitimate aspirations of both Palestinians and Israelis and bring about long-awaited peace and justice".