Logo Assembly Logo Hemicycle

News

‘Russia’s exclusion from international football remains necessary until peace is restored’

‘Russia’s exclusion from international football remains necessary until peace is restored’

05/02/2026 | Culture, Science, Education and Media

Mogens Jensen (Denmark, SOC), Chairperson of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media, and Kim Valentin (Denmark, ALDE), Chairperson of the Parliamentary Alliance for Good Governance and Integrity in Sport, today made the following statement: “We have taken note with serious concern...

Hemicycle / Session / Hémicycle

PACE winter session highlights: address by the President of the Republic of Moldova, urgent debate on...

30/01/2026 | Session

Addresses by Moldovan President Maia Sandu and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan were among highlights of the winter plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which took place in Strasbourg from 26 to 30 January 2026. There were urgent debates on...

Revitalisation of democracy in Europe: Parliamentary Assembly launched new committee

Revitalisation of democracy in Europe: Parliamentary Assembly launches new committee

30/01/2026 | New Democratic Pact

On 29 January the Parliamentary Assembly established a Special Committee on the New Democratic Pact, demonstrating the importance that the Assembly attaches to boosting democracy in Council of Europe member states and to the Council of Europe’s initiative to launch a New Democratic Pact for...

PACE decides to close the post-monitoring dialogue with North Macedonia

PACE decides to close the post-monitoring dialogue with North Macedonia

30/01/2026 | Session

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), meeting in plenary session in Strasbourg, today decided “to close the post-monitoring dialogue with North Macedonia”. By adopting a resolution, based on the report by Sibel Arslan (Switzerland, SOC) and Joseph O'Reilly (Ireland, EPP/CD...

The 65th anniversary of the European Social Charter: social rights as the foundation of resilient democracies and social justice

The 65th anniversary of the European Social Charter: social rights as the foundation of resilient...

30/01/2026 | Session

Marking the 65th anniversary of the European Social Charter, PACE reaffirmed that social rights are a core pillar of democratic stability, recalling that the Charter was drawn up as a “cornerstone instrument” and as the counterpart, in the sphere of economic and social rights, to the European...

Hemicycle
©Council of Europe

Assembly holds a ‘free debate’ on current issues

30/01/2026 | Session

PACE this morning held a “free debate” on current issues not included in the session agenda. On this occasion, members could speak on any issue which falls within the Assembly’s mandate. Seventeen parliamentarians took the floor.

Election alliance at PACE considers ‘earlier, sharper and more practical’ observation to build resilience

Election Alliance at PACE considers ‘earlier, sharper and more practical’ observation to build resilience

30/01/2026 | Election observation

The Parliamentary Alliance for Free and Fair Elections, which groups over 70 PACE members, has set out new ways to make election observation efforts “sharper and more practical” in the face of acute polarization, foreign interference, large-scale disinformation, cyber incidents, opaque financing...

Greenland’s future is for the people of Greenland and Denmark, says PACE

Greenland’s future is for the people of Greenland and Denmark, says PACE

29/01/2026 | Session

Any decisions concerning the future status of Greenland, or its relations within the Kingdom of Denmark, may be taken “only by the people of Greenland and the people of Denmark”, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has said. Approving a resolution on the case of Greenland...

Prioritising the protection of civilians in the context of the political crisis in the broader Middle East

Prioritising the protection of civilians in the context of the political crisis in the broader Middle East

29/01/2026 | Session

Faced with instability in the broader Middle East and serious human rights violations in both the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Syrian Arab Republic disproportionately affecting minority communities, PACE said that the lasting peace and stability in the region “could only be achieved through...

PACE platform for dialogue with Russian democratic forces holds its first meeting in Strasbourg

PACE platform for dialogue with Russian democratic forces holds its first meeting in Strasbourg

29/01/2026 | President

The first meeting of a new platform for dialogue between the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and Russian democratic forces took place in Strasbourg today, on the margins of the Assembly’s winter plenary session. The new Platform, which was created last October, will enable...

PACE calls for ban on conversion practices

PACE calls for ban on conversion practices

29/01/2026 | Session

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), meeting in plenary session in Strasbourg, today called on member states to adopt legislation to “prohibit conversion practices, providing for criminal sanctions and based on a clear and comprehensive definition of the proscribed...

'Another Russian war crime' - joint statement condemns Russian attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure

'Another Russian war crime' - joint statement condemns Russian attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure

29/01/2026 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights

Eerik-Niiles Kross (Estonia, ALDE), Chair of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, and Titus Corlăţean (Romania, SOC), PACE's rapporteur on accountability for the Russian Federation's war of aggression against Ukraine, have issued the following joint statement: 'We condemn the...