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Ensuring safe, sound and credible elections in times of crisis

Ensuring safe, sound and credible elections in times of crisis

27/01/2026 | Session

PACE today emphasised the need to further develop frameworks and practices capable of “delivering safe, technically sound and credible elections”, while safeguarding fundamental rights and ensuring public confidence in electoral processes. Parliamentarians stated that polarisation, disinformation...

PACE urges reforms to safeguard democratic institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina

PACE urges reforms to safeguard democratic institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina

27/01/2026 | Session

The Parliamentary Assembly today said it remained concerned about “recent developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, marked by attacks against the State, the rule of law and the institutions established following the General Framework Agreement for Peace”, while also emphasizing “cause for hope...

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PACE elects Nicholas Emiliou judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Cyprus

27/01/2026 | Election of Judges

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) today elected Nicholas Emiliou as judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Cyprus. Mr Emiliou, having obtained a majority of votes cast, is elected judge of the European Court of Human Rights for a term of office of nine...

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PACE elects Corinna Wissels judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of the Netherlands

27/01/2026 | Election of Judges

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) today elected Corinna Wissels as judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of the Netherlands. Ms Wissels, having obtained a majority of votes cast, is elected judge of the European Court of Human Rights for a term of office...

President Maia Sandu discusses protecting young minds at Women@PACE

President Maia Sandu discusses protecting young minds at Women@PACE

27/01/2026 | Women@PACE

The Women@PACE group welcomed Maia Sandu, President of the Republic of Moldova, for an exchange of views on protecting the freedom of young minds and strengthening democratic resilience, during the 2026 winter session of PACE. In her address, President Sandu underlined the fundamental principle...

PACE denounces Russia’s ‘intensification of suffering’ in Ukraine

PACE denounces Russia’s ‘intensification of suffering’ in Ukraine

27/01/2026 | Session

PACE has denounced Russia’s lack of genuine willingness to end its war of aggression against Ukraine and strongly condemned the “intensification of violence and suffering” to which it is subjecting the country. Approving a resolution based on a report by Piero Fassino (Italy, SOC), the Assembly...

Participants in the PACE Platform for Dialogue with Russian Democratic Forces are named

Participants in the PACE Platform for Dialogue with Russian Democratic Forces are named

26/01/2026 | Bureau

The Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), meeting this morning ahead of the opening of the Assembly’s winter plenary session in Strasbourg, has approved the list of Participants in the Assembly’s Platform for Dialogue with Russian Democratic Forces, which was...

Petra Bayr elected President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

Petra Bayr elected President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

26/01/2026 | Session

Petra Bayr (Austria, SOC) has been elected today President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for a one-year term of office, which may be renewed once. She obtained an absolute majority in the first round of voting with 164 votes to 50 for the other candidate, Victoria...

 PACE reviews the work of its subsidiary bodies since the last session

PACE reviews the work of its subsidiary bodies since the last session

26/01/2026 | Session

The lists of candidates for the post of judge at the European Court of Human Rights submitted by Cyprus and the Netherlands; the modalities for the implementation of Assembly Resolution 2621 (2025) on Russian democratic forces; as well as the observation of the elections in the Republic of...

'Too many have forgotten the importance of international law’

‘Too many have forgotten the importance of international law’

26/01/2026 | Session

“To listen to the rhetoric and news in these last weeks and months, it seems that too many have forgotten the importance of international law and international justice, forgotten that these are the shared values of our community, and forgotten above all that humanity is at the heart of our system...

PACE reviews progress of member states under monitoring in 2025

PACE reviews progress of member states under monitoring in 2025

26/01/2026 | Session

Adopting a resolution today, based on a report prepared by Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica (Latvia, EPP/CD), the Assembly took stock of the PACE monitoring activities carried out in 2025. It assessed the situation in countries under a full monitoring procedure, engaged in post-monitoring dialogue, or...

PACE Assembly raises concerns over restrictive environment in Kyrgyz parliamentary elections

PACE Assembly raises concerns over restrictive environment in Kyrgyz parliamentary elections

26/01/2026 | Election observation

Meeting in plenary, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe debated its observation of the early parliamentary elections held on 30 November 2025 in the Kyrgyz Republic. The Assembly concluded that “the elections were efficiently run but the restrictive campaign environment stifled...