19/09/2012 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
“Political parties remain the main gate keepers for the participation of women in politics”, regretted the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination at its meeting in Tirana on 13 September 2012. It recommended political parties to introduce a minimum quota of 40 per cent of the under-represented sex in their executive decision-making bodies, invest in mentoring and training programmes and ensure that, during electoral campaigns, the broadcasting time allocated to the party would be proportionally shared by men and women candidates.
19/09/2012 | Session
Debates on the honouring of obligations and commitments by the Russian Federation, the humanitarian crisis in Syria (for which a request for a debate under urgent procedure has been made) and the definition of political prisoner, as well as speeches by the Presidents of Albania and Moldova, are among the highlights of the 2012 autumn session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), to be held in Strasbourg from 1 to 5 October.
18/09/2012 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
"Parliamentarians have a vital role to play in transforming mentalities and make freedom from violence a reality in their communities," said Jozefina Topalli, Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, during a conference organised on this matter by the Parliamentary Network ‘Women Free from Violence’ in Tirana on 14 September.
18/09/2012 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
At its meeting in Tirana on 13 September, the Equality and Non-Discrimination Committee expressed concern with regard to the rise of violent acts motivated by racism, intolerance and xenophobia, and an increasing use of racist and discriminatory discourse by political parties and asked political parties to refrain from using fear in their campaigns.
17/09/2012 | European Conference of Presidents of Parliament
Speakers and presidents of parliament from the 47 member states of the Council of Europe and many partner, observer and neighbouring countries, as well as the heads of several interparliamentary assemblies, were gathering in Strasbourg from 20 to 21 September 2012 for a major European...
17/09/2012 | President
"The crisis in Europe and worldwide is not just financial and economic, but also a crisis of democracy". While any crisis entails upheaval and suffering, however, it also brings "an opportunity to call things into question, to decide on the necessary priorities and to search actively for solutions" according to Jean-Claude Mignon, President of the PACE, when he made the opening speech today at the European Conference of Presidents of Parliaments.
17/09/2012 | President
"While most participants agreed that representative democracy is not in crisis in itself, we all agree that it is one of the main victims of the economic and financial crisis. But the current situation should rather be seen as an opportunity to bring the institutions of representative democracy closer to our citizens", PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon said today presenting the conclusions of the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament.
16/09/2012 | President
"We follow with great concern the violent protests that have flared up across the Middle East, triggered by the circulation of an Islamophobic film, and we wish to support and spread Pope Benedict XVI’s call for renewed Muslim-Christian co-operation in the Middle East; we underline that all religions can live together without hatred, respecting the beliefs of each, to build together a free and humane society," said Jean-Claude Mignon, PACE President, and his predecessor Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, former PACE President and member of the Turkish delegation to PACE.
14/09/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy
“The perception of a decline in democratic values triggered by the economic and financial crisis is growing in Europe and beyond. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has for some time been sounding the alarm, pointing to the diminishing trust of citizens in democratic institutions and political leadership, low electoral turnouts and increasing popular support for, xenophobic and populist parties. With the gap between citizens and their democratic institutions widening, the Assembly hails this year’s Day of Democracy focus on dialogue and inclusiveness as central factors for democracy”.
14/09/2012 | Election observation
A seven-member PACE delegation, headed by Andreas Gross (Switzerland, SOC), will carry out a pre-electoral mission to Kyiv on 20 and 21 September 2012. The delegation aims to assess the electoral framework and campaign ahead of the parliamentary elections in Ukraine on 28 October 2012.
14/09/2012 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
Undocumented migrant children are, first and foremost, children, the PACE Migration Committee recalled at a hearing on the detention of unaccompanied and accompanied undocumented children organised in Paris on 14 September. It underlined that the best interests of the child must be a primary consideration in any action taken in relation to the child and the child’s family.
13/09/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy
“A right balance has to be struck between national interests and respect for human rights in Council of Europe member States’ foreign policies”, PACE Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy said today during its meeting in Helsinki. When foreign policy “neglects human rights for too long” and focuses solely on strategic economic and geo-political interests – it added - “human rights crises may erupt and “humanitarian interventions” become urgent and moral necessities”.