29/11/2024 | Prizes
Launched in May 2023 in partnership with the Government of Iceland, the 60,000-euro annual prize – named after the first woman in the world to be elected as a head of state, Iceland’s Vigdís Finnbogadóttir – rewards outstanding individuals or civil society groups that champion the empowerment of...
29/11/2024 | Prizes
PACE is today launching the “Human Rights in Motion” Award, in partnership with four international film festivals across Europe, to be awarded quarterly to the director of a documentary film which best promotes “human rights or the fight for democratic values”. The 5,000-euro award will be...
29/11/2024 | Elections
According to the election observation report presented by Petra Bayr (Austria, SOC) to the PACE Standing Committee meeting in Luxembourg, the presidential election and constitutional referendum in the Republic of Moldova were conducted in a highly polarised political environment, “marked by...
29/11/2024 | Standing Committee
The PACE delegation that observed Bulgaria's early parliamentary elections (9 June and 27 October 2024) has deplored that “the ongoing cycle of elections has plunged Bulgaria into near-constant campaign mode, intensifying political challenges and leading to entrenched instability”. It also...
29/11/2024 | Standing Committee
The Parliamentary Assembly – meeting as the Standing Committee – held a current affairs debate on the topic "Foreign interference: a threat to democracy" during its meeting in Luxembourg. “Foreign interference can be described as international, covert and manipulative interference by foreign...
29/11/2024 | Women@PACE
Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg was the guest of honour at a working breakfast of the Assembly’s Women@PACE group which took place in Luxembourg ahead of a meeting of the Assembly’s Standing Committee. Her Royal Highness, in an event coinciding with the global 16 days of action...
29/11/2024 | Standing Committee
The Council of Europe’s Cultural Routes – a series of 47 different itineraries across Europe which trace the continent’s rich tapestry of traditions, languages and customs – and their role in encouraging intercultural dialogue were celebrated at a parliamentary round table held on the margins of...
28/11/2024 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
A conference organised by the Parliamentary Platform for the rights of LGBTI people of the Parliamentary Assembly, in collaboration with the SOGIESC Unit of the Council of Europe, will examine the violence and discrimination suffered by LBQ women in Europe, due to factors such as racial or ethnic...
27/11/2024 | Political Affairs and Democracy
Dora Bakoyannis (Greece, EPP/CD), PACE’s rapporteur on the situation in the Middle East, made the following statement today: “The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, which is taking effect today, marks a significant step toward stability in the Middle East. This agreement, facilitated...
26/11/2024 | Monitoring
Ending a fact-finding visit to Warsaw, PACE co-rapporteur for the monitoring of Poland Azadeh Rojhan (Sweden, SOC) has strongly welcomed the reforms initiated by the authorities to ensure the independence of the judiciary in Poland and to implement the judgements of the European Court of Human...
25/11/2024 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
“Violence against women and girls continues to rise, online and offline. One of the most prevalent and serious human rights violations across Europe and beyond, it is deeply rooted in gender stereotypes and patriarchal beliefs. Women’s human rights are under attack in many places and are always...
22/11/2024 | President
The need to rethink the meaning and functioning of democracy in the world where the erosion of trust in democratic institutions is growing, as well as the role of social media and fake news in this process worldwide, were at the centre of discussions held by PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos...