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Max Lucks (Germany, SOC)
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Current affairs debate on threatened bans of Pride events in Council of Europe member States

13/10/2022 | Session

“We cannot escape a truth, dear colleagues: a backlash is going on in Europe. Populists and enemies of human rights and democracy are making use of those who are most vulnerable,” Max Lucks (Germany, SOC) said today, opening a current affairs debate on Threatened bans of Pride events in Council...

Edite Estrela (Portugal, SOC)
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Ending discrimination against women in sport

13/10/2022 | Session

PACE said there was an urgent need to prevent gender-based violence, sexism, discrimination and gender stereotypes in the world of sport, promote gender equality, invest in sport for all, and put an end to the invisibility of women and girls in this field. In adopting a resolution, based on the...

Edite Estrela (Portugal, SOC)

Romania: significant progress in the functioning of democratic institutions, despite a number of concerns...

13/10/2022 | Session

According to the PACE, Romania has made significant progress toward its compliance with Council of Europe standards since its accession, in areas crucial for the functioning of democratic institutions, including the judiciary and the fight against corruption. It welcomed, in particular, the...

George Katrougalos (Greece, UEL)
©Council of Europe

Brexit threatens common human rights space on the island of Ireland, says PACE

13/10/2022 | Session

PACE has urged the United Kingdom to ensure that Brexit does not result in any diminution of rights for the people of Northern Ireland, warning that the withdrawal from the European Union has “reignited deep-seated tensions in Northern Irish society, furthering political division and contributing...

M. Boriss CILEVIČS
©Council of Europe

PACE urges Türkiye to drop new law criminalising ‘false or misleading information’

12/10/2022 | Session

The Parliamentary Assembly has said planned legislation in Türkiye to criminalise the dissemination of “false or misleading information” would “cause irreparable harm to the exercise of freedom of speech before elections” and urged the Turkish authorities not to enact it.Approving a resolution...

Thomas BYRNE
©Council of Europe

Ireland’s Europe minister calls for Council of Europe summit in Reykjavik

12/10/2022 | Session

Ireland’s Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne, has given his backing to a fourth summit of Council of Europe Heads of State and Government to take place in Reykjavik as part of Iceland’s forthcoming presidency of the organisation’s Committee of Ministers. Addressing the...

M. Eerik-Niiles KROSS (Estonia, ADLE) and M. George PAPANDREOU (Greece, SOC)
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PACE votes to begin monitoring of Hungary over rule of law and democracy issues

12/10/2022 | Session

Declaring that long-standing rule of law and democracy issues in Hungary “remain largely unaddressed”, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has voted to place the country under its full monitoring procedure. Hungary joins ten other Council of Europe member States currently...

M. Edi Rama (Albania, PM)
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Edi Rama: ‘the faith of Albania and its European destiny is our anchor to the future’

12/10/2022 | Session

“The faith of Albania and its European destiny is our anchor to the future. No matter what storms or fogs Europe encounters, Albanians cannot but imagine sharing the journey, even if it turns out to be a tumultuous one,” Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said today, addressing the Parliamentary...

Alain / Fridez / Switzerland

Preventing pushbacks at land and sea and protecting victims

12/10/2022 | Session

PACE has noted that border pushbacks have taken on worrying proportions, both at land and sea, and that they render the plight of migrants and refugees even harsher, heightening the risk to lose one’s life in a very perilous journey. It therefore called on member States to “change the law and...

Stephanie Krisper (Austria, ALDE)
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Asylum seekers: improving the assessment of the safety of third countries

12/10/2022 | Session

The Parliamentary Assembly expressed its concern about the current tendency of returning or transferring asylum seekers to third countries without clarity on the safety of the respective third country. In adopting a resolution, based on the report by Stephanie Krisper (Austria, ALDE), PACE called...

The President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins
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Ireland’s President Higgins: we need a longer-term vision of the Council of Europe’s role in a post...

11/10/2022 | Session

Ireland’s President Michael D. Higgins has called for a longer-term vision of the Council of Europe’s role in a post-conflict Europe, and how that might fit within the wider multilateral architecture, in order to effectively uphold human rights, the rule of law and democracy whilst ensuring there...

Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary General of the Council of Europe
©Council of Europe

Secretary General underlines importance of a 4th Council of Europe Summit

11/10/2022 | Session

In her dialogue with members of the Parliamentary Assembly, Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić underlined the strong support of the High Level Reflection Group for a fourth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe. The Summit would be an occasion for all Member...