Addresses by Moldovan President Maia Sandu and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan were among highlights of the winter plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which took place in Strasbourg from 26 to 30 January 2026.
There were urgent debates on "Threats against the international order: the case of Greenland", on "Political crisis in the broader Middle East: the need to protect human rights and the rights of all minority groups" and on the “65th anniversary of the European Social Charter”.
There were current affairs debates on “Safeguarding the system of international justice”, with the participation of German Justice Minister Stephanie Hubig, and on “Ensuring accountability, humanitarian protection and respect for international law in Gaza and the West Bank after the ceasefire”.
A ceremony was held to mark the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust.
Other debates were held on the commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine and the security of the European continent; on the need for a ban on conversion practices; and on elections in times of crisis. The Assembly also adopted its opinion on a new protocol to the Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine concerning the involuntary placement and treatment of persons in mental health care.
The Assembly also held a farewell ceremony for its outgoing President and elected its new President. Mihai Popşoi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova, also presented the traditional communication from the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers and answered questions from parliamentarians. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, addressed the parliamentarians and took questions.
On the agenda were debates on the honouring of obligations and commitments by Bosnia and Herzegovina, on post-monitoring dialogue with North Macedonia, on developments in the Assembly's monitoring procedure, and on the observation of the early parliamentary elections in the Kyrgyz Republic. Finally, the parliamentarians discussed strengthening democracies with young people, socialising at schools, and inclusive and participatory education.
***
Social media: follow the Assembly’s official accounts via Bluesky, X, Facebook and LinkedIn (#PACEwinter2026).
Video clips: an online tool allows video clips from plenary sessions to be edited and downloaded.
Photos: photos from session week can be downloaded from the Council of Europe media library or via the Assembly’s Flickr account.
Contact: PACE Communication Division, tel. +33 3 88 41 31 93, [email protected]
Candidatures - President of the Parliamentary Assembly
Vice-Presidents of the Parliamentary Assembly
Nomination of members to general committees
Nomination of members to general committees -Add. 1
Changes in the membership of committees -Add. 2
Changes in the membership of committees -Add. 3
Changes in the membership of committees -Add. 4
Nomination of members to the Special Committee on the New Democratic Pact
Changes in the membership of the Special Committee on the New Democratic Pact -Add. 1
Composition of the Standing Committee
Monday 26 January 2026
Doc. 16330 (Report on credentials) Examination of credentials of representatives and substitutes Doc. 16323 (Progress report) Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (3 October 2025-25 January 2026) Doc. 16323 Add. 1 (Progress report) Activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee (26 January 2026) Doc. 16323 Add. 2 (Progress report) Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights Doc. 16323 Add. 3 (Progress report) Election observation activities of the Parliamentary Assembly in 2025 Summary report and recommendations Doc. 16319 (Election observation report) Observation of the early parliamentary elections in the Kyrgyz Republic (30 November 2025) Doc. 16316 (Report) Progress of the Assembly’s monitoring procedure (January – December 2025)
Tuesday 27 January 2026
Doc. 16323 Add. 2 (Progress report) Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights Doc. 16312 (Communication) Election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights List and curricula vitae of candidates submitted by the Government of Cyprus Doc. 16302 rev (Communication) Election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights List and curricula vitae of candidates submitted by the Government of the Netherlands Doc. 16297 (Report) Elections in times of crisis Doc. 16311 (Report) Supporting the commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine and the security of the European continent Doc. 16311 Add. (Addendum to the report) Supporting the commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine and the security of the European continent Doc. 16310 (Report) The functioning of democratic institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Wednesday 28 January 2026
Doc. 16308 (Report) Strengthening democracies with young people: from participation to shared responsibility Doc. 16332 (Committee Opinion) Strengthening democracies with young people: from participation to shared responsibility Doc. 16309 (Report) Draft additional protocol to the Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine concerning the protection of human rights and dignity of persons with regard to involuntary placement and involuntary treatment within mental healthcare services Doc. 16314 (Report) Socialising at schools: for an inclusive and participatory education fostering democratic values
Thursday 29 January 2026
Doc. 16334 (Report) Threats against the international order: the case of Greenland Doc. 16336 (Report) Political crisis in the broader Middle East: the need to protect human rights and the rights of all minority groups Doc. 16315 (Report) For a ban on conversion practices Doc. 16335 (Report) The 65th anniversary of the European Social Charter: social rights as the foundation of resilient democracies and social justice Doc. 16317 (Report) Post-monitoring dialogue with North Macedonia
Friday 30 January 2026
Election result - President of the Parliamentary Assembly
Election result – Judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Cyprus
Election result – Judge to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of the Netherlands
| Date | Morning | Afternoon |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 26 January |
|
|
| Tuesday 27 January |
|
|
| Wednesday 28 January |
|
|
| Thursday 29 January |
|
|
| Friday 30 January |
|
|
| Date | Lists |
|---|---|
| Monday 26 January | 1 2 |
| Tuesday 27 January | 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Wednesday 28 January | 1 2 3 4 5 6 |
| Thursday 29 January | 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Friday 30 January | 1 |
