23/06/2026 | Session
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), meeting in plenary session in Strasbourg, today welcomed the progress made by Serbia as regards combating corruption and the reform of the judiciary and prosecution services since its accession to the Council of Europe in 2003, in...
23/06/2026 | Session
PACE today strongly condemned “the brutal, murderous and systematic repression of the protests” that began in Iran in December 2025 and the intensification of this repression since the beginning of the armed conflict in February 2026 with Israel and the United States, including the expansion of...
23/06/2026 | Session
“The annulment of an internal party Congress and the forced replacement of elected party leaders that has the effect of changing the political landscape cannot be allowed to stand,” today said Lord David Blencathra (United Kingdom, ECPA), speaking at the opening of a current affairs debate on...
22/06/2026 | Session
PACE President Petra Bayr, opening the summer plenary session of PACE this morning in Strasbourg, has hailed the resilience of the Parliamentary Assembly in pressured times – and pledged its readiness to provide leadership on fundamental issues of human rights and democracy. “There are moments in...
22/06/2026 | Session
The 2026 Vigdís Prize for Women’s Empowerment has been awarded to My Voice, My Choice, a grassroots feminist movement originating in Slovenia that brings together more than 300 organisations from across the European Union to work towards safe and accessible abortion. The 60,000-euro annual prize...
22/06/2026 | Culture, Science, Education and Media
In a declaration adopted unanimously today, the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) strongly condemned the drone strikes that hit the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery on 15 June 2026. Saint Sophia Cathedral and the monastic...
22/06/2026 | Session
In a speech today to the Parliamentary Assembly, Monaco's Minister of State Christophe Mirmand has reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the founding values of the Council of Europe – human rights, the rule of law and democracy – and highlighted the need for a collective response to the crises...
22/06/2026 | Session
The 19 April early parliamentary elections in Bulgaria, marked by increased participation, were efficiently administered and took place calmly on election day, despite gaps in the legislative framework, high political polarisation and persistent concerns over vote-buying and controlled voting...
19/06/2026 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
On the eve of World Refugee Day (20 June), Sandra Zampa (Italy, SOC), Chairperson of the PACE Committee on Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation, made the following statement: “This year’s World Refugee Day is special. It is 75 years since the signature of the 1951 Refugee...
18/06/2026 | President
Petra Bayr, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), made the following statement today: “On the occasion of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s 81st birthday tomorrow, I call once again for her immediate and unconditional release. For decades, Peace Nobel Prize winner Aung...
18/06/2026 | President
“Hate speech dehumanises. It tells a person or a group of people that they are worth less, that they do not belong, that they are a threat. Once that message takes hold, discrimination, and even violence, follow,” said PACE President Petra Bayr today, addressing a conference on “Countering hate...
17/06/2026 | Rules, Ethics and Immunities
“The adoption by the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia of the revised Code of Ethical Conduct is an important step towards strengthening ethics, integrity and accountability in parliamentary life. It reflects a strong commitment to transparency and good governance and will help...