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AI at the ballot box: a threat or an opportunity for democratic elections?

AI at the ballot box: a threat or an opportunity for democratic elections?

07/11/2025 | Artificial Intelligence

At the 2025 World Forum for Democracy in Strasbourg, participants discussed how artificial intelligence affects elections and democratic participation. The session, titled “AI at the ballot box: threat or opportunity for democratic elections?”, was co-organised by PACE and the Council of Europe...

Learning from history: strengthening democracy

Learning from history: strengthening democracy

07/11/2025 | Culture, Science, Education and Media

At the World Forum for Democracy 2025 in Strasbourg, a session co-organised by PACE and the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe explored how history education shapes democratic citizenship and resilience. Moderated by Matjaž Gruden, Director for Democracy at the Council of Europe, the...

Latvian Parliament

‘The Latvian parliament has finally listened to the people it represents, allowing the country to continue...

06/11/2025 | President

The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Theodoros Rousopoulos, made the following statement today: “The Latvian parliament has finally listened to the people it represents, allowing the country to continue applying the Istanbul Convention, at least until a new...

Beyond the ballot: youth-led innovations boosting democracy

Beyond the ballot: youth-led innovations boosting democracy

06/11/2025 | Culture, Science, Education and Media

At the World Forum for Democracy 2025 in Strasbourg, a discussion explored how young people are reshaping democratic participation beyond traditional voting. The session, “Beyond the ballot: youth-led innovations boosting Democracy” was moderated by Valentina Grippo (Italy, ALDE), PACE General...

Committee proposes to amend provisions of the PACE Rules of Procedure relating to gender composition

Committee proposes to amend provisions of the PACE Rules of Procedure relating to gender composition

05/11/2025 | Rules, Ethics and Immunities

In order to give effect to Resolution 2394 (2021) on the “Gender representation in the Parliamentary Assembly”, the Committee on Rules, Ethics, and Immunities emphasised the need for PACE to amend its provisions on gender composition.On 30 October, by adopting a draft resolution based on the...

'Democracy cannot survive without oxygen, and oxygen, in our time, is trust'

PACE President: 'Democracy cannot survive without oxygen, and oxygen, in our time, is trust'

05/11/2025 | President

Opening the World Forum for Democracy in Strasbourg, PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos compared democracy to a mine that depends on its pillars of trust, solidarity and accountability to remain stable. “Miners once used a small bird, a canary, because it was the first to sense the poison in...

PACE launches special web page on the 75th anniversary of the ECHR

04/11/2025 | European Convention on Human Rights

PACE has launched a dedicated web page to mark the 75th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights. The new page highlights the Assembly’s contribution to the drafting and adoption of the Convention, its role in strengthening the Convention system, and its continued efforts to ensure...

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Promoting the Romani language - a vibrant piece of Europe’s mosaic of cultures

04/11/2025 | Equality and Non-Discrimination

On the eve of International Romani Language Day (5 November), Georgios Stamatis (Greece, EPP/CD), PACE General Rapporteur on Roma and Travellers, made the following statement: “On 5 November, we mark International Romani Language Day as an opportunity to honour the Romani language and culture, to...

PACE President, in an address to parliament in Skopje, hails North Macedonia’s remarkable progress

PACE President, in an address to parliament in Skopje, hails North Macedonia’s remarkable progress

04/11/2025 | President

PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos has hailed the remarkable progress made by North Macedonia in an address to its parliament in Skopje. “Your country, dear friends, has always stood where histories meet — where languages coexist, and faiths intertwine. You know that coexistence is not theory...

A Convention born of ‘fire and sorrow’ that has protected Europeans for 75 years

A Convention born of ‘fire and sorrow’ that has protected Europeans for 75 years

04/11/2025 | President

In an address at a solemn ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of the signature of the European Convention on Human Rights, PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos hailed the Convention as “the most powerful act of imagination in our continent’s history”. Speaking at the European Court of Human...

Istanbul Convention

Statement by PACE President on Latvia’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention

31/10/2025 | Women free from violence

“I am deeply alarmed by the decision of the Latvian Parliament to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, just over a year after it entered into force in the country. This is an unprecedented and deeply worrying step backwards for women’s rights and human rights in Europe. By abandoning the first...

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PACE co-rapporteurs to make monitoring visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina

31/10/2025 | Monitoring

Zsolt Németh (Hungary, ECPA) and Pablo Hispán (Spain, EPP/CD), co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the monitoring of obligations and commitments by Bosnia and Herzegovina, will make a fact-finding visit to Sarajevo from 3 to 5 November. They are due to...