Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:03:30
Before we start, I want to remind all members that they should insert their badge before taking the floor. As you begin your speech please press the microphone button once only, wait for a few seconds, and then everything goes smoothly.
This morning, the agenda now calls for the election of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. So it is a historical day today for us.
The list of candidates for Secretary General of the Council of Europe and biographical notices are to be found in Document 15968. The candidates are:
Mr Alain BERSET (Switzerland)
Mr Didier REYNDERS (Belgium)
Mr Indrek SAAR (Estonia)
This is the alphabetical way that I am announcing the names.
The election will be held in the lobby of the Committee of Ministers.
At 12:05 p.m. the ballot will be closed. As usual, counting will then take place under the supervision of five tellers, appointed by the political groups.
The five tellers are:
From the Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group: Ms Heike ENGELHARDT
Group of the European People's Party: Mr Joseph O'REILLY
European Conservatives Group and Democratic Alliance: Mr Oleksii GONCHARENKO
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe: Mr Claude KERN
Group of the Unified European Left: Mr Paul GAVAN
I remind them that they should go to the lobby of the Committee of Ministers when the ballot closes.
I expect to announce the result of the election here in the Assembly Chamber before the end of this morning’s sitting. If a second round is needed, this will take place this afternoon between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
I now declare the ballot open.
We now come to the joint debate on two Reports from the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy. The first is titled “Strengthening democracy through participatory and deliberative processes”, Document 16001, presented by Mr George PAPANDREOU. The second is titled “Strengthening a youth perspective in the work of the Parliamentary Assembly”, Document 15871 presented by Mr Anastasios CHATZIVASILEIOU. This will be followed by the presentation of an opinion by Ms Yevheniia KRAVCHUK, on behalf of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media (Doc 15872). This will be followed by a statement by Ms Marharyta VORYKHAVA, vice-chair of the Advisory Council on Youth.
In order to finish this item by 12:00 p.m. I will interrupt the list of Speakers at about 11:45 a.m. to allow time for the replies and the votes.
I call Mr George PAPANDREOU, rapporteur, to present the first Report. You have 7 minutes now and 3 minutes at the end to reply to the debate.
George, you have the floor.
Greece, SOC, Rapporteur
10:06:51
Esteemed colleagues,
A few days ago I was in a lively discussion with a young woman.
She posed a question: Does my vote even matter?
I answered: Yes. If politics seems slow and complex, every vote does count. Democracy is a process, a change that takes time and effort.
Yet her feelings need to be recognised by us all, as they represent many young voters and, I would add, many parts of our society.
Her questions challenge our understanding of the strains of disillusionment, such as what has happened.
The global financial crisis was triggered, downturns breeding inequalities and undermining our welfare systems, eroding trust in our institutions.
Our vast wealth and technological capacities, yet a bleak outlook for generations to come, from jobs to climate crisis, deep frustration and anger.
The recent pandemic, which highlighted the rapid online spread of conspiracy theories, increasing public confusion, distrust in mainstream media and scientific process.
The war against Ukraine intensified disinformation campaigns. External actors like Russia aiming at swaying public opinion, undermining democratic processes.
While globalisation has reduced poverty in some regions, it has splintered our society's cohesion, magnified disparities, and exacerbated local corruption, undermining the rule of law. It has also concentrated wealth and power, which distorts political influence and the integrity of our democratic institutions.
These challenges from multilateral crisis in geopolitical conflicts to concerns about artificial intelligence and environmental issues have fostered a profound sense of vulnerability, injustice and powerlessness among our citizens. And this poses a dilemma about the quality of our politics, of our democratic governance.
In social media, it is the volume of traffic that is measured for you to become a successful influencer, not the destination of your travel. In our voting systems we have developed elaborate techniques to influence our voters, but less so to develop an understanding of where we want to go. In our economies we measure the volume of a GDP. As Robert F Kennedy said before he was assassinated, this does not allow us to measure:
"the health of our children, the quality of their education or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country. It measures everything in short, except that which makes life worthwhile."
Dear colleagues, we are challenged to rethink the quality of our democratic procedures. It's too easy when fear and uncertainty reigns to freeze up, to close up, to hide behind our national symbols or authoritarian saviours. This in the end is a sign of weakness, of lack of confidence in our societies and in our peoples.
Instead, in people we need to trust, not every four years but every day. Free our political imagination and tap into the collective knowledge and capacity our societies have. Create the spaces of democratic dialogue, debate and mutually attained goals and solutions.
This Report is not a prescription, it's a challenge to imagine a more engaged, a more active society and citizenship. Expanding our political ecosystem with innovative, inclusive methods, where citizens are at the heart of decision making. Participatory and deliberative democracy are not simply techniques to be applied in mechanistic ways, they are a way of thinking, an attitude, an expanding of democratic culture which seeks practical pathways that can revitalise their institutions, restore faith in democratic process, allowing citizens to be agents of their future.
To truly harness the wisdom of our citizens, we must create spaces where innovative ideas can flourish, where dialogue is not just encouraged, but structured in a way that bridges the gap between scientific expertise and public understanding.
Learning from Tartu, Estonia, a pioneer of implementing participatory budgeting, or Porto Allegro in Brazil, or Ireland when it deliberated on abortion, or France on climate. We can imagine a new branch of government, a deliberative branch, harnessing the wisdom of our citizens, dedicated to ongoing and structured dialogue between experts and citizens.
As mandated in the Reykjavík conclusions, we propose a bold reimagining of our democratic processes, adopt participatory and deliberative democracy processes at all levels, allocate the necessary financial technical and human resources, harness digital tools such as artificial intelligence responsibly for the common good, creating democratic spaces for citizen participation.
And of course, so crucial, we need to emphasise education. Democratic participation and education go hand in hand, and our schools are more for creating skills for some jobs that may not exist and much less for creating citizens that have to be actively involved in decision-making and understanding the challenges we have ahead of us.
Let us therefore commit to these transformative steps, building flourishing societies, fostering an environment where democratic institutions are not only respected but are resilient and responsive to the unprecedented challenges on the one hand, and also the needs that our society, our youth, our women, our minorities, our citizens all around Europe and all over the world we want to serve.
Thank you very much.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:13:12
Thank you, Mister Papandreou.
I now call Mr Anastasios CHATZIVASILEIOU, rapporteur, to present the second Report.
Dear Anastasios, you have 7 minutes now and 3 minutes at the end to reply to the debate.
You have the floor.
Greece, EPP/CD, Rapporteur
10:13:26
Thank you, Mister President.
Dear colleagues,
I would like to thank Mr George PAPANDREOU for his invaluable contribution.
You know that young people represent the future, and their active participation and involvement in the political life is the minimum precondition for building stable societies and strong democracies in today's era. Looking at the multidimensional, interrelated challenges that lie ahead of us, dear colleagues, this is becoming more and more evident. Look at the dramatic consequences of climate change or the financial geopolitical instability at global level and how this reality widens inequalities, affects human rights and puts peace at risk. Look, dear colleagues, at the increasing presence of artificial intelligence in our societies, in our every day life.
All these challenges require innovative thinking. It is crystal clear that young people must be a part, not only of the political conversation, but also of the decision-making process. It's not enough to just hear what young people have to say, but it is necessary and really important to actively include them at the table where policies are designed and decisions are being made. Dear colleagues, unfortunately, young Europeans are underrepresented in local councils and national parliaments. They do not engage enough with traditional politics due to legislative and other party barriers or even due to prejudices. This reinforces their disenchantment with political life, undermines the representativeness of elected institutions and, of course, it raises questions about generational justice.
Our democracies, dear colleagues, are showing worrying signs of backsliding. The growing distrust amongst citizens towards public institutions, fuelled by populism, extremism, xenophobic discourse, is having an impact on the quality and sustainability of our democracy. However, dear colleagues, youth represents a beam of hope for reverting this reality. The idealism and enthusiasm that characterise young people should be channelled by all means to reignite the vivid flame of our European democracies. There cannot be a real democracy without youth participation today.
All countries in Europe and beyond should design mechanisms to bring young people into political debate so that they can express their dreams, their views and concerns. Therefore, dear colleagues, all voices should be heard without any discrimination. The Council of Europe is a pioneer in ring youth participation and our Assembly has always played its part by encouraging the active participation of young people in civil life. Since 1970, it has called for the setting up of the European Youth Foundation and in 1972, dear colleagues, we established the European Youth Centre and the co-management system of the Joint Council on Youth. We gave a strong voice to both representatives of young Europeans and representatives of public authorities responsible for youth issues. Since 2014, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has implemented a scheme where national delegations include youth delegates.
Yet, dear colleagues, our Council has an important role to play. The heads of state and government confirmed in Reykjavík the need to integrate the youth perspective in its deliberations. So while the Parliamentary Assembly explores the youth dimension through the Sub-committee on Youth and the Society of the Future of the Committee on Culture, it does not have a formal mechanism which allows the meaningful participation of youth in our work.
Dear colleagues, based on this premise I have prepared the draft Resolution that we today discuss. We come to the end of a process started with the motion tabled by the Committee on Culture, which also contributed with the preparation of a valuable opinion through the work of colleague Ms Yevheniia KRAVCHUK, whom I warmly congratulate for her job. We had various and important exchanges of views with the Advisory Council on Youth. I can't really welcome the vice-chair Ms Marharyta VORYKHAVA, who will take the floor later. Thank you for being here today with us.
Dear colleagues, in April 2023 in her Report on the 4th Summit, our esteemed colleague Ms Fiona O'LOUGHLIN emphasised the need for the Council to integrate the youth perspective in its deliberations. This recommendation was endorsed by heads of state and government. The demands of Europeans leaders are answered in this very draft Resolution, dear colleagues.
I propose to set up a mechanism which allows youth representatives to engage in a structured and well-planned manner with the Assembly members. Young people could define priorities, raise concerns and, above all, propose solutions. This mechanism proposed will involve appointing youth rapporteurs in each committee of the Parliamentary Assembly with the responsibility to liaise with youth representatives, one strategic meeting per year between the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly and the Bureau of the Joint Council on Youth with the participation of the youth rapporteurs from each committee, one meeting per year between youth rapporteurs of the committees and representatives of youth organisations to discuss the Assembly's work and the substance of our reports and, last but not least, one annual debate in our Assembly devoted to the exchange of views with youth representatives.
Dear colleagues, the draft Resolution also invites the national delegations to the Parliamentary Assembly to increase the presence of young parliamentarians amongst the members and encourage their active role in our work. Moreover, it calls on its political groups to give greater visibility to young members and to work with the national political parties in order to increase youth representation, especially those of young women.
Dear colleagues, we need to reinforce democracy in order to face today's problems and tomorrow's challenges. To achieve this goal, young people should be heard. They should be involved in the political debate and, of course, in the decision-making process. This draft Resolution provides a significant contribution to the overall commitment of the Council of Europe to strengthen the inclusion of youth in our mechanism and our work.
Thank you very much, Mister President.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:20:06
Thank you, Anastasios.
I have to say that both Greeks, George and Anastasios, were in time.
Now, Ms Yevheniia KRAVCHUK, rapporteur of the opinion. You have 3 minutes.
Ukraine, ALDE, Rapporteur for opinion
10:20:21
Dear colleagues, dear President, our rapporteurs.
I think it is a really historical day for our Assembly, having finally these Reports. They were postponed from the last session and now they have a very prominent day – Tuesday – especially when we have the biggest number of members of this Assembly here for the vote for the Secretary General. So thank you for putting this in such a prominent position in the agenda.
Of course, I would like to welcome the young people – young students – welcome them. They are listening to us and I think this is an example of how our Assembly is open. But indeed, our rapporteur gives other tools to be even more efficient, to be more structured with these exchanges between the Assembly, between all of the committees, because, of course, the sub-Committee that I'm chairing on Youth and the Society of the Future cannot just follow all of the committees, all of the topics, so having a Youth Rapporteur in every committee is quite a great idea and I think it will benefit all of the topics.
But I will have to argue a bit with our colleague, the rapporteur, in that the process is not over because the Assembly has to change the rules and procedures. So another report will be created or written in the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs and it is very important that we will do this follow-up quite quickly, because the young people who are here that will have these tools would like to use them.
But coming to the opinion, indeed the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media fully supports the idea and this mechanism and also we propose the Amendments that were all agreed to by the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy. Thank you for that. And it is clarifying the function of the mechanism practice, enhance the role of use of a tools in particular in the work of the committees, define the actions expected by national delegations and political groups, underline the special situation of young women in politics and of young parliamentarians in war zones and frozen conflict regions.
And I will stop a bit on this last point. Well, first of all young women in politics. Look at these benches. What do you see? The only women – rather young. I was young when I was becoming a member of parliament, now a bit out of age but I still feel young. And, of course, we have to give these instruments to young women because they face double standards, they face age and gender when they get onto the candidates list at the parties and then when they campaign. So encourage your political parties to have more young women and, of course, young people overall.
And last but not least, coming from Ukraine, a country that is at war, it is crucial to support young people in those countries and I thank the Department on Youth in this engagement and I feel that the co-operation will be fruitful for Ukraine as well.
Thank you.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:23:41
Thank you, Yevheniia.
Let's give the floor to another young woman who is with us today.
This is Ms Marharyta VORYKHAVA.
Marharyta, is it VoRYkhava or VoryKHAva?
VoryKHAva.
Vice-chair of the Advisory Council on Youth, Marharyta you will make a statement for five minutes. And I want to just point out that Mr George PAPANDREOU has been followed all his life with a Marharyta, either his mother or his granddaughter. Am I right, George?
Okay.
So, Marharyta, you have the floor.
Vice-chair of the Advisory Council on Youth
10:24:09
Thank you so much.
Honourable President, dear members of the Assembly.
I'm really honoured to be here, not only as a vice-chair of the Advisory Council on Youth, but also as a young person. And I'm really concerned for the future of Europe. And being surrounded by all the conflict that we are facing in this crucial time, it is really a true honour to be here.
Young people are on the front lines of the crisis that we're facing in Europe.
In Ukraine they are defending their country against invasion, they are defending Europe.
In Belarus young people are jailed for standing up for human rights.
In Georgia young people face persecution for protesting for freedom and the European future.
And across Europe young people are fighting for climate action, advocating for social justice, and defending their rights.
And in spite of all this we are driving change. Young people have shown an incredible capacity to mobilise and advocate for change, from climate strikes to social justice movements we've proven that we have a commitment and that we are effective in driving progress.
Young people are growing up in the digital era as well, in the digital age. We have a unique understanding of the digital era and how to navigate it, and how to use the innovations that are increasingly influencing our democracy.
The Reykjavík Declaration, which underscores the importance of youth participation in democratic processes, is also a testament to our relevance and potential in expanding democracy in Europe. We must go and move beyond this symbolic involvement of young people to real involvement in decision making.
And the motion for those who wish to establish a youth partner status within the Parliamentary Assembly is crucial to us. We view it not just as a symbol but as a recognition of young people's vital contributions to democracy. And achieving the status will enable us to effectively participate in decision making, making our democracies more inclusive and representative.
And the Report as well highlights the need to include our viewpoints in all aspects of this Assembly's work. We should be the leaders of today, tackling climate change, social justice and digital transformation.
However, to truly achieve this, we need more representation in decision-making places, and thus including us in policy development, debates, and general decision-making mechanisms ensures that the needs and aspirations of all citizens are better met. And the decisions made today will profoundly impact our futures. Thus it is only fair that we have actually a say in shaping this decision.
And our involvement guarantees that decisions are made with the long term vision that benefits future generations.
So by embracing the contributions of young people, we can build a more inclusive, dynamic and revitalised democracy, capable of withstanding today's threats.
That said, this is just the beginning here today. We need to shift our attitude and recognise that this is a long-term investment in our shared common future. And I do not say that young people will change the world, but I do say that we can, if we have the means to. And if we want this new vision of the world, we need to recognise and arrive at it by striving for it together.
Thank you so much.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:27:42
Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Vorhykava.
Dear colleagues, now we open the floor for the debate.
I call for the speakers on behalf of political groups.
First, Ms Nicole HÖCHST, from the European Conservatives Group.
Germany, EC/DA, Spokesperson for the group
10:28:06
Mr President,
Dear colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Young people must not be lost to democracy. I think this is an approach that unites us all, and many thanks to the rapporteurs who have presented their Report here.
But not losing young people also means making policy for young people. And intergenerational justice, this buzzword, also has something to do with whether debts are incurred at the expense of generations that have not even entered the workforce yet. Intergenerational justice also has something to do with imposing a policy, a migration policy, on young people that makes them a minority in their own country with all the consequences of that. There are many examples of why young people urgently need to have a say in what the future should look like
But this Report presents many things from the wrong perspective. In my opinion, the Report assumes that only people who belong to a certain group, i.e. only young people, can really represent the interests of young people. We think that is wrong. A really important, historical example of this is that men granted women the right to vote and the right to work, the right to enter politics. Men did that for women, and I think men and women can also do politics for society as a whole.
It is also important to consider at this point that we have elected representatives; representatives who speak for all the people, the citizens in the EU and across Europe. And this process must not be weakened by, yes, the influence of lobby groups – even the youth lobby group. There are many other lobby groups that are suddenly being given a say, and they absolutely must be heard. And it is quite clear to young people that all parties will be vying for the favor of these young people and will outdo each other in implementing these ideas – even if they are possibly wrong. Because, please don't get me wrong, young people don't have the experience and knowledge of the world to be able to compare their beautiful ideas with reality at every point. That is in the nature of things and is not meant maliciously.
Accordingly, we cannot agree with the Report in its entirety, but only in part. We will therefore abstain.
Thank you very much.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:31:15
Thank you.
I call now Ms Sona GHAZARYAN from Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.
Armenia, ALDE, Spokesperson for the group
10:31:22
Honourable chair,
Dear colleagues,
Dear rapporteurs,
First of all I would like to congratulate you both on a very good Reports with very essential highlights.
I do agree that we are facing a backsliding of democracy all over Europe in member states. It is indeed very worrying. We need more inclusive ways to have more young people. We need to overcome low electoral turnouts in member states.
Once I was the youngest female MP in Armenia. I do understand how important it is to create such environment when young people can boost their full potential. I do agree with Ms Yevheniia KRAVCHUK. She was saying that young – especially female – politicians are being criticised both for their age and for their gender. It is very important to create a good environment.
Another thing I like to say, and it was very interesting in the Report, is that apparently, 50% of the population is under-represented in the parliament, it's merely 3%. Which means that half of the world has merely 3% influence on decision-making processes. This is really worrying.
Another thing that was very important to highlight: why do young people not participate in political processes?
I was speaking to young people, asking. First they were telling me it was about funds. They need more funds. They need an environment, and they need to fight against prejudice and stereotypes.
As a group, we really support the idea of having a youth rapporteur, and to give them opportunity to speak after the group speakers. Another thing I would like to highlight that we are very much interested in and that we support is Amendment G that was adopted, which was calling actively to create national political parties, processes and instruments to have more young people in the parties itself. Because we believe that the gateway to institutionalised politics is through parties.
So we support the idea of having a youth rapporteur.
All the members states need to work together to overcome the backsliding of democracy.
Thank you.
Greece, EPP/CD, President of the Assembly
10:33:51
Thank you.
Mr Berdan ÖZTÜRK, on behlf of the Group of the Unified European Left.
Türkiye, UEL, Spokesperson for the group
10:34:06
Thank you very much, Mister chair.
First of all, I would like to thank you, rapporteurs, for these fine Reports.
It is sobering to have to acknowledge this on the 75th anniversary of the Council of Europe that European democracy is in crisis. But it is also vital to understand that this is the case.
As inequality increases, leaving large sections of our population struggling with everyday existence, and the world's largest wars and climate catastrophe, it is hardly surprising that people feel that politicians do not act in their interests, that our system of representative democracy is neither very representative nor very democratic. So this debate on democracy is necessary and welcome.
I represent a political party in an elected parliament but we work within a perspective that sees political work as part of the continuum with community activism and local organisation. Our ideal would be to see decisions made as locally as possible and we try to break down the distinction between politics and everyday life.
Politics should not be something alien and probably old-style. A vote every few years for the least bad option. It should and can be an opportunity for people to come together to play an active part in improving their community. An opportunity to recognise the potential of individuals and of society.
Recent decades have witnessed a booming industry of fake consultations that only leave people further disillusioned with the political system. But debate and action that can promote genuine participatory grassroots democracy is the only way out of our democratic crisis. And, of course, a genuine democracy that listens to everyone must involve young people who have their own legitimate concerns and interests and have the most to lose from our current short-sighted trajectory.
We welcome the focus on increasing youth involvement and practical proposals for doing this, and we are glad that these two motions are being discussed together because the best way to increase youth in government and in politics is to ensure that politics is relevant and effective and there are opportunities for real engagement, opportunities and policies that a more participatory system can bring.
To conclude, I would like to emphasise the crucial role of the Council of Europe, the leading human rights organisation on our continent, that stretches its influence far beyond. I am convinced that our organisation and priceless convention system will help overcome some of the serious democratic challenges our society faces today. The people who are part of it will stand strong and continue their work to enhance democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
Thank you very much.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
10:37:52
Thank you very much.
In the debate I now call for Mr Max LUCKS on behalf of the Socialist group.
Germany, SOC, Spokesperson for the group
10:38:01
Thank you, Mister President,
Dear rapporteurs,
Dear Marharyta,
Thank you very much for these good words, for these important Reports, which also propose many changes here in the Assembly, many of which rightly relate to our institution.
It has just been said here from the far right, "Young people do not fight for everyone. Young people do not fight for an entire group." I dispute that.
I dispute that when we look at what young people from Belarus are organising to finally get rid of this dictator Lukashenko, not because they want freedom for themselves but because they want freedom for everyone.
If we look at Georgia, we see young people at the forefront of a protest movement, a protest movement against anti-NGO laws, against anti-media laws, because these young people do not want their country to fall back into tsarism to Moscow, but because they want freedom, because they want freedom for everyone. Our task as the Council of Europe, as a parliamentary assembly, must be to give these young people, who do not have the same rights and opportunities as I have, a voice and a platform.
This is especially true when we look at Ukraine these days and see that the future and the lives of young people are being sacrificed in this brutal war that Putin is waging. When it comes to reconstruction, we must involve young people there effectively. It is therefore also right that our European Youth Office should support young people in Ukraine and the diaspora in particular, especially when it comes to access to social rights, education, mental and physical health care, and a life free of discrimination.
Lastly, an example of young people fighting for all, not just for themselves. Let's look to one of our neighboring countries, to Iran, where young men and women are leading a protest movement because they want freedom, because they want freedom for all, because freedom is not Eastern, not Western, but universal.
Let us, as the Council of Europe, give a voice to all the young people who cannot speak here. That is our task, because they are fighting for everyone.
Thank you very much.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
10:41:11
Thank you very much.
I now call for Ms Yelyzaveta YASKO on behalf of the Group of the European People's Party.
You have 3 minutes.
Ukraine, EPP/CD, Spokesperson for the group
10:41:23
Thanks.
Let me congratulate our rapporteurs for providing us with this discussion. Some may say that it is very theoretical but in fact this is a very serious attempt to rethink what democracy of today we need to have. Democracy is not only a word, it is actually about institutions, it is about participation, it is about voting. And we know that our democracies, in all the member states, are having not the best times now. And there are reasons for that.
This is an attempt to think what we were doing was not right, and that all of this is undermined. But, you know, I want to also stress that I belong to a generation of Ukrainians, who from a very early age, were having a feeling of a responsibility that we need to be active in politics. Seriously, since I was very young I knew that I wanted to go into politics because I wanted to take action to change things in my country. And, you know, I studied abroad, I worked abroad and I have learned that it is not the case for the people my age in many of the member states. Some of them are not feeling empowered, some of them are feeling unheard, some of them, as our rapporteur said, "Does my vote really count? Does it actually make sense to vote?"
So I think it is very important to do the advocacy for political participation because people need to know that it is worth going into politics and that you can make a change in politics. And this is a task for all of us here to show by our example or the body's solutions or tools that we can offer. It is not only about voting on a resolution.
What kind of tools do we have for our democracies? I want to stress something very important. Many would say we have referendums. But referendums are not working well in all of the countries. They can actually also be very manipulated and can be very dangerous.
Artificial intelligence, digital democracies: if we want to know that our votes are protected if we vote digitally, we need to design the tools that will provide that. Because if we do not want to end up in the situation that we currently have in the European Parliament election results, we see that there are many far-right or -left voters in these Parliamentary elections. Why did it happen this way?
So I want to ask, let us continue rethinking what tools we need to have to protect our democracies but also please let us advocate for political participation at every level, so that the young people – and not only young people – will believe that it is possible and it is worth going into politics and making a change there.
Thank you.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
10:44:33
Thank you very much.
That concludes the list of speakers on behalf of political groups.
We now continue with the rest.
And in the debate I call next Lord George FOULKES.
You have 3 minutes.
United Kingdom, SOC
10:44:48
Can I first of all confess that I speak with some hesitation on this topic, because I think I'm probably the oldest member present, by a couple of weeks anyway. And nevertheless, that hasn't stopped me in the past and it's not stopping me now.
From a British perspective, there are two key threats to our democracy.
First is dark money influencing our politics and the second is the increasing level of the disengagement we have, particularly among young people.
And the second issue is partly a product of the first. A more transparent system which effectively filtered out big money, or at least took some steps, initial steps, towards limiting the influence of the mainly anonymous wealthy individuals, would restore a trust in our politics.
We've got ideas about how to achieve this. Closing loopholes in the electoral finance laws, empowering our electoral commission to investigate abuses, and tightening requirements around revealing the sources of funding.
But our current government lacks the political will to enact these changes. The next government won't.
But we recognise, the public recognises these problems.
Surveys have shown that had been long-term decline in the public's perception of the transparency of both party and campaign finance. And the longer that we ignore the need for a reform, the greater the impact will be on the quality of our democracy.
Something as simple as enhancing the UK electoral commissions powers would go a long way to resolving this. Such as threats of higher fines, combined with new powers to launch investigations and to impose our sanctions. That would help stem the flow of dark money influencing our elections.
All of these measures have broad support from the Committee on Standards in Public Life, from civil society, and from academia. The only blocker is the current parliament.
Now on youth. A recent survey indicated 40% of young people don't intend to vote in this upcoming general election. And this reluctance extends beyond the opaque party financing system. Issues such as the voting system itself, as well as the parties' offers, the way we teach politics in schools... all contribute to young people's apathy.
But I believe we could go a long way to driving up engagement by one thing, by simply extending franchise through lowering the voting age to 16.
We've done it for the Scottish Parliament in the United Kingdom and it's proving successful.
The next government in the United Kingdom will lower the voting age to 16.
I hope the parliaments of other Member States will do likewise.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
10:47:50
Thank you very much.
In the debate, I call next Mr Joseph O'REILLY.
You have 3 minutes.
Ireland, EPP/CD
10:48:02
Thank you, President.
By recognising somebody who would be the most inspirational speaker today if she were here. Sadly, Baroness Doreen E. Massey has left us recently.
I want to say that she was a visionary, inspirational and pioneering woman in the area of youth participation, of organising young people, and as Chair of the Youth Sub-Committee of the Parliament.
I think Doreen Massey was the greatest pioneer of youth participation that I have ever encountered, and I found her absolutely motivational and encouraging.
I would say that this Assembly should honour her appropriately at some future time.
Working with Doreen Massey, I brought over the National Youth Movement from Ireland here to Strasbourg and we had hearings with them, in the Youth Sub-Committee. It was participative and they were listened to. They talked a lot about climate change and issues relevant to young people.
I think we need to make a policy of bringing young people from all our member states here to Strasbourg, here to get listened to, here to be involved in discussion. We need to act on what they say.
I think a policy and a budget of doing that is a requisite that we need to put in place.
There is sadly and tragically, right across Europe, a threat to democracy in that sinister forces are, through exploitation of racism and other emotive campaigns and slogans, bringing some young people tragically down the road of a far-right politics, of anti-democratic tendencies as happened sadly back in the late 20s, early 30s before, in the 1920s and 1930s. We need to guard against that.
Youth participation, youth involvement, youth at the cold face of democracy, being listened to in the way that Doreen Massey would have wanted them listened to, is the method by which you positively distract them from this kind of involvement.
I do believe that we should have youth rapporteurs, as the Report suggests. I congratulate the rapporteurs there.
But we should have youth rapporteurs, here as a collegiate, as a group within the Council of Europe.
It is the case, as Lord George FOULKES, my great friend says, that there is dark money involved in politics. That dark money can, and indeed in his own country, in the UK, has had some very adverse effects, and can have adverse effects in any country.
For that reason, I think it is critical that we really focus on our youth and bring our youth with us. Make our youth feel that they are genuinely part of our democracy, of our Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe here, and that we are listening to them.
Failure to do this will, by default, increase antidemocratic forces right across our member states.
I think this is an extraordinarily important debate.
I think it is an extraordinary opportunity for us to embark on a new process of youth involvement, youth presence here, youth being listened to.
I'm a former teacher myself. I'm a parent of three sons. I do know that young people who are not listened to, who feel that they are not listened to, and who feel that there's no action on foot of their words, those young people become alienated, demotivated. They may not speak about it, but we've lost them to democracy and to participatory democracy, which is the really critical thing.
On that note I leave it. But I do hope that we act on this after today.
Thank you.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
10:52:50
Thank you very much.
I now call Ms Mónika BARTOS.
You have 3 minutes.
Hungary, EC/DA
10:52:59
Dear fellow representatives,
Elected politicians and international organisations are similar in that they operate on the basis of the trust capital they receive from the people. Recent research shows that this trust capital has been seriously eroded in both directions, for politicians and international organisations. This points to the need to strengthen trust. This can be done in a number of ways, such as involving people in the decision-making process. That is why I welcome today's debate and congratulate the rapporteurs.
In connection with our topic, I would like to present a method, a tool, which has proved successful in Hungary. This is the national consultation.
Since 2010, the government has solicited the opinion of voters in the form of national consultations a total of 13 times.
Many priority government measures have been preceded by consultation. The national consultations have thus helped to create points of agreement between the government and Hungarian citizens. In addition, national consultations are a well-established tool for the Hungarian people to decide on issues that affect their lives.
In recent years, there have been 11 national consultations in which citizens have received a postal questionnaire with a letter of response, and two times in which the consultation was conducted exclusively online.
The national consultations covered the following topics and issues: fundamental law, social issues, economic issues, migration and terrorism, the future of the Hungarian internet, which could only be answered online, debates on national and EU competences, international plans on migration, and family protection.
In 2020 and 2021, three national consultations related to the coronavirus epidemic and restarting the economy took place.
In 2022, the Hungarian government was the first EU government to ask citizens about the Brussels sanctions.
The last consultation was launched at the end of 2023 on the protection of our country's sovereignty.
The national consultations mobilised 1-1.5 million people on average – the young generation also – but there were also some in which 2.3 million people participated.
Dear colleagues, our own experience shows that involving people in the decision-making process has many benefits. Our joint efforts in this regard must be strengthened.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
10:56:09
Thank you very much.
I now call Mr Damien COTTIER.
You have 3 minutes.
Switzerland, ALDE
10:56:18
Thank you, Mister chairman.
A few days ago, we celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Swiss Confederation's second Federal Constitution. This Constitution of 1874 introduced a popular instrument that nobody in Switzerland today could imagine not having: it is the instrument of the referendum, with the possibility not for the authorities to decide when they wish to consult the population, but for the population itself to contest a law passed by parliament by collecting 50,000 signatures; in a country of 9 million inhabitants, this is not an easy thing to achieve, but it is perfectly attainable, and it enables the population to take a position, to make a decision, on the basis of a law passed by parliament.
I would like to encourage the member countries of this Organisation and the countries we work with to consider introducing this type of instrument into their constitutions or political systems.
I congratulate the rapporteur, Mr George PAPANDREOU, on the proposals he has made in his Report, which is excellent and which I fully support, but we are at a stage a little upstream from that: we want to put in place, and with criteria that are extremely well proposed and well thought out, mechanisms for consultation, discussion, and listening. But in my opinion, we're not going far enough, because it's good when we can give the population not only the opportunity to express themselves, but also the opportunity to decide.
I know that these instruments are sometimes regarded as delicate in some countries, but when people are used to being asked questions, even on complicated issues, they respond to the question put to them. In Switzerland, we really do have this system where the population, on a dozen or so issues per year at federal level, sometimes takes positions on very complicated questions and answers the question put to them. This mechanism exists not only at federal level, but also at cantonal and local levels. This allows for real involvement, with the decision even being taken at the process level.
My parliamentary colleagues, and there are several of them here in this room, I don't think anyone would want to give up this instrument, even when it calls into question the decisions of Parliament. If that's the case, it's also a safety valve: it allows the population to say what it wants and what it doesn't want, and then Parliament simply has to go back to the drawing board. I think it's a tool that we should be thinking about as much as possible, because it really does enable integration.
I'd also like to congratulate you on the Report on youth: it's very important to integrate young people into our processes, and the Report makes concrete proposals in this area. In my opinion, we don't need to give young people crutches, i.e. we don't need quotas. In this sense, the Committee's Amendment 5 doesn't seem relevant to me: we don't need to reserve seats for young people, we simply need to have a dialogue with them, enable them to learn quickly and have the means to get involved; but after that, everyone should make their place without reserving specific seats for youth representatives. I think that's going too far, and even going in the opposite direction.
Thank you very much.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
10:59:32
Thank you very much.
I now call Ms Aurora FLORIDIA.
You have 3 minutes.
Italy, SOC
10:59:41
Thank you, Mr President, I will speak in Italian. [Continues in Italian]
I thank my colleague and rapporteur Mr George PAPANDREOU for highlighting the importance of strengthening participatory and deliberative democracy processes to revitalize our democracies.
His proposed resolution aims to explore innovative approaches that inspire democratic thinking, considering new practices and measures at the national, regional and local levels while also focusing on the importance of education.
Democracy is the only political model that is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, and yet we are seeing a continued deterioration of the democratic process in Europe and around the world. This deterioration is exacerbated when the checks and balances of the democratic system weaken, putting the balance of power at risk.
Within this framework of democratic precariousness, the distrust of citizens towards political institutions and political parties has worsened, and disinterest in electoral participation, which is fundamental to the full establishment of a representative democracy, has increased.
At the regional, national and European levels we are witnessing the spread of a new, ever-changing and often violent narrative that plays on denialism and fear of diversity, and exacerbates the terms of public debate by producing divisive, aggressive and populist positions.
In order to break out of this dangerous spiral, it is now more necessary than ever to adopt a systemic and permanent approach that allows for an ongoing and trusting dialogue with civil society, as indicated by the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
Where it exists and where it is already an established reality, such dialogue is capable of enhancing the collective awareness of our communities, ensuring their participation in the public decisions that affect their lives, guaranteeing it and especially to the younger generations.
Equally crucial is ensuring later on that the views produced through participatory democracy processes are taken seriously by public decision makers, and that clear and transparent explanations are provided when they are not adopted.
Citizens and the young generations need training and information to be active participants in participatory democracy processes. The younger generations need to be more involved in democratic processes. They are asking us, they are asking us even today here at the Council of Europe.
[In English] Perhaps the introduction of a "youth quota" should be more considered, discussed and promoted. Thank you.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
11:02:51
Thank you very much.
I now call Mr Ioannis OIKONOMOU.
You have 3 minutes.
Greece, EPP/CD
11:03:03
First of all, I would like to thank and to congratulate Mr George PAPANDREOU and Mr Anastasios CHATZIVASILEIOU for their very interesting points. Now allow me to speak in Greek.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The recent European elections have confirmed the tendency that we have seen in recent years in the Western world for reduced participation in elections of all kinds. It's true that parliamentary democracy has become more participatory. It has given the floor to those groups that were either underrepresented or marginalised. It gave the possibility for people to vote when they didn't have any property or whether they were women or citizens or non-natives of that country. People felt that the parliaments have in fact lost a large part of their power, either from their government or transnational bodies where people who are not elected directly by the people rule. We see that this continues to hurt and harm democracy. The increased number of technocrats seeding the decision-making powers to people without direct legitimacy is something that harms democracy because these technocrats adopt policies that don't take into account political will and the reality of people on the ground, also because often times we talk about ancient Greek democracy. We have to be very careful about one key parameter. Ancient Greek democracy had as its cornerstone the common good that everything was done in favour of and for the city and the people.
So, Socrates in Plato's Republic said what we wanted to do as a duty was to secure the common good. This of course meant there was indifference about individual rights, which were swept aside in favour of the rights of everybody. Thankfully, due to the Enlightenment, we managed to improve things. Now in fact we sometimes look more at identity politics. I think we need to strike a new balance where the common good will be secured without ignoring the rights of individuals.
I think that we need to take into account three issues. First and foremost, we need to see that this is low-quality discourse. Policy and politics, in order to motivate people, need to have sweeping visions. Politics without ethics was in fact a form of injustice and without value and principles cannot motivate the people. The substitution of policy without a compass in fact meant that politics have lost out in Greece, Europe and elsewhere. We see that we have in fact got more autocracy here in our continent. This was caused because citizens are not interested. This undermines democracy and leads to oligarchy.
Thank you.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
11:06:29
Thank you very much.
In the debate, I next call Mr Mustafa CANBEY.
You have 3 minutes.
Türkiye, NR
11:06:40
Dear President, dear colleagues.
Today, it is apparent that we stand at a critical junction in the history of democracy both in Europe and globally. We cannot ignore the stark realities before us: democratic backsliding, diminishing civic spaces and the growing disillusionment among citizens, as well as the blatant violation of international humanitarian law right before our eyes, most recently in Gaza and Ukraine.
We can bridge the gap between the governors and the government, ensuring that policies reflect the genuine needs and aspirations of all segments of society by involving citizens directly in decision making.
I would like to thank Mr George PAPANDREOU for putting a spotlight on such an important but often neglected topic. One of the most effective ways through which people can take part in democratic processes is undoubtedly through media. As a journalist by education with 15 plus years' experience in public communication, I place particular importance on the role the media plays in political life, both through traditional channels and social networks.
In our country, citizens are also participating in decision-making processes through political party membership in substantial numbers. Parties in Türkiye have more than 15 million members from all walks of society. Our party has more than 11 million members along with a lively and active youth programme that produces political leaders and even parliamentarians.
Participatory democracy complemented by deliberative processes offer a robust framework for addressing complex issues our democracies are facing. By fostering open dialogue and inclusive decision making, we can forge consciousness, promote sustainable policies and strengthen the resilience of our democracy in the face of uncertainty.
Last but not least, I firmly believe that the rapporteur's call to include elements of education for democratic citizenship and human rights education in the curricula for formal education is of vital importance. It goes without saying that education is the cornerstone upon which democratic values are important and apparent.
Thank you.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
11:09:18
Thank you very much.
I now call Mr Sorin-Titus MUNCACIU.
You have 3 minutes.
He seems not to be in the room.
Then I call Mr Francesco VERDUCCI.
You have 3 minutes.
Italy, SOC
11:09:49
Thank you, President.
Colleagues,
Democracy is the most important good, yet today this awareness in the public is weak and under attack. It is crucial that it is the new generations that affirm a new democratic consciousness. Our democracies are experiencing a deep, structural crisis. It is a political crisis, and we need a response that is fully political.
Democracy is not static; it is not neutral. It lives only if it succeeds in building emancipation, if it keeps the promise of change of better living conditions. The crisis of our democracies is first of all the social issue–it lies in the intolerable inequalities–in the impossibilities for millions of people to realise their life project.
Democracy is first and foremost to have forms of participation. Instead, in recent years everywhere the functions of parliaments, the functions of collective political subjects have been emptied. The powers of executives and heads of government have been strengthened to the extreme. Strongly majoritarian electoral laws have been introduced that polarise and hierarchise our societies, shrinking the spaces of democracy, participation, pluralism, restricting rights and the welfare state, marginalising ever greater segments of society.
Abstentionism is so great that ours is in danger of being a representative democracy without representation. This crisis of legitimacy is being exploited by the far right to propose an authoritarian model that concentrates all power, without counterweights, in the hands of one, with liberticidal laws, against information, against the judiciary, against minorities. This is what is happening and what we have a duty to oppose.
Abuse of power, even if legalised, kills the foundations of the rule of law. Models of direct election always bring with them plebiscitarianism, and plebiscitarianism always brings with it an illiberal drift. All this is a deception to citizens. It is not an answer to the crisis of democracy; it is the end of democracy. We live in a crucial time in history, and we cannot be spectators, a time of regression of rights, resurgence of wars, political use of hatred, with very powerful financial and technological interests divorced from democratic power.
A time that threatens to be against democracy. Yet democracy is the only vital space for citizens. We have a duty to turn this difficult time into a new democratic century. In particular, I think this is our challenge here to reaffirm and to relaunch from this Council of Europe.
Thank you President.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
11:13:15
Thank you very much.
I now call Ms Ana TSITLIDZE.
You have 3 minutes.
Georgia, EPP/CD
11:13:23
First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the rapporteur. Thank you very much for this incredible job. During this very challenging time for democracy, it's crucial that we all need to become more engaged to uphold the fundamental principles of democracy.
Ladies and gentlemen, dear members of the European Council,
Today we are confronted with a pivotal challenge in our commitments to democracy, the urgent need to reinforce participatory and deliberative processes across the Council of Europe. This discussion is particularly important in light of recent events in Georgia, where the very essence of democracy has come under threat and where the young generation are fighting for a European future of Georgia. In Georgia the ideals of democracy have faced significant challenges. Russian oligarch Ivanishvili's attempts to undermine the European future of Georgia and manipulate the democratic processes are deeply concerning. Young Georgian people in the streets of Tbilisi and around the country are fighting for freedom and for the European integration of Georgia. The oligarch Ivanishvili's special forces beats them in the streets of Tbilisi, but they are not afraid. I am proud of them.
On 29 April, pro-Russian oligarch Ivanishvili gave a speech stating that he would punish the pro-European opposition. Oligarch Ivanishvili's speech also insinuated that the European Union has sought to undermine Georgia's sovereignty, called the "Global War Party", reinitiating Russian-style law on foreign influence. The oppressive nature of the Georgian Dream and pro-Russian oligarch Ivanishvili openly incited hostility towards pro-European oppositional parties, civil activists, and young people. The Georgian Dream regime has been further highlighted by the violent dispersal of peaceful demonstrators and targeted brutal physical attacks on civil activists and young people who are critical to government and politicians, including the former chair of the United National Movement (UNM) Levan Khabeishvili.
It's imperative that we as members of the Council of Europe stand united in condemning such actions and supporting the young people of Georgia's fight for European integration and the freedom of their country.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
11:16:20
Thank you very much.
And I call Ms Fiona O'LOUGHLIN.
You have 3 minutes.
Ireland, ALDE
11:16:30
Thank you, chair.
And I want to commend the rapporteurs for their excellent work on this really really important topic, because the fire within the heart of our youth certainly can be the catalyst for positive change within society and within all of the communities that we represent. And indeed the power of youth can be a common wealth, and a common good for the entire Europe.
We need the idealism, we need the enthusiasm, we need the exuberance of young people.
With the Reykjavík declaration adopted just over a year ago now, it's really good to see the Council of Europe moving ahead and developing standards internationally for working with and for young people.
The integration of a youth perspective in the Council of Europe's intergovernmental and other deliberations is really really important. And this can only help strengthen our democracies.
I want to commend the Joint Council on Youth for their document on elements for a Council of Europe reference framework for a youth perspective at its plenary last October. And the four key areas that they concentrated on thinking alongside the youth, learning from and with our youth, participating with our youth, and acting with them.
When I think about young people being involved in politics, I think particularly in relation to two really important referenda that we had in Ireland, where we had #HomeToVote. So many of our younger people who were studying abroad, working abroad, but they all came home to participate in two really important democratic events. And one was about extending marriage equality to LGBT community and one was in relation to repealing the 8th Amendment and supporting the right to choice in a limited context, but at the same time changing our legislation to support that.
And young people really found that power of their own voice. And since then have certainly become far more involved in our decision making.
And of course Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child requires that children and young people's views must be considered and taken into account in all matters affecting them. And in Ireland we do that through the Department of Children and ensuring that young people have a voice in the design, delivery and monitoring of government policies, programmes and services at national and local level.
And I also think of the young people who put themselves forward for election: in our last local election on the 7th of June the youngest candidate was in my own district. A young 18-year-old from a Traveller background, who only missed out by a matter of about 50 or 60 votes on being elected. But we must do everything that we can to ensure that youth participation at every level.
Thank you.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
11:20:05
Thank you, Madam.
And next I call Mr Oleksii GONCHARENKO.
You have 3 minutes.
Ukraine, EC/DA
11:20:15
Dear, dear chair, thank you very much.
And would like to thank the rapporteur for an excellent job done.
And we are speaking now about youth perspective and youth participation. And by this, what do we usually mean? That young people should take part in politics, that we want young people to vote. Here, there are young people watching what we are doing. I say hello to you. But I want to say hello, yes, and we are happy to see you and that it is very good that you are with us. But I want to share our pain with you. Because while we are speaking about some youth in general without names who we want to participate in politics, to be part of democracy, to protect democracy, there are exact young people from Ukraine who took weapons in their hands to fight for democracy. Not just to vote – to fight for democracy. To stop aggressors, to give all of us the possibility to be here. To give you the possibility to come to a peaceful Strasbourg, in peaceful France, in peaceful Europe to watch how politicians are debating here.
And these young men, many of them, unfortunately, now are killed by Russians, and some of them are imprisoned by Russians. And I want to speak about other-style defenders first of all, and other prisoners of war. These young heroes – 20, 23, 25 years old – they went to fight for democracy with weapons in their hands to protect all of us here. That was their choice and it is our responsibility today to save them from what Russia is doing with them. They are torturing them every day. They are killing them. They not giving them the possibility to come back. They have been prisoners of war for more than two years. Just imagine this, just imagine how their families live. And we need to take these people back, to free them and these young heroes should be the ones going to your countries, speaking to your young people and explaining to them that if they do not vote today, if they do not protect democracy today, tomorrow they will need to fight for it with weapons in their hands. So it is so important to protect democracy when it is still possible without weapons.
So that is what we can do in strengthening youth participation. And I want to address all of you, you are representatives of so many parliaments. Please go back to your parliaments, hold a special meeting, maybe in some committee, about Ukrainian prisoners of war. Help to save these thousands of people, many of them, the majority of them who are young – young like your children. Just to give them the chance to come back home and then invite these young people to your parliaments, watch them, show them, speak with them, and give them the possibility to share with you why democracy matters, and why they were ready to sacrifice their lives to protect democracy.
Thank you very much.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
11:23:30
Thank you very much.
I now call Mr Nicos TORNARITIS.
You have 3 minutes.
Then I call on Mr Andrej HUNKO.
You have 3 minutes.
He is not in the room.
So I call on Mr Don DAVIES.
You have 3 minutes.
Canada
11:24:03
Honourable colleagues,
Earlier this year, the Pew Research Center released public opinion data that should alarm us all in this hemicycle.
In 11 of 22 countries surveyed, including Canada, research found a significant decline in the share of the public describing representative democracy as a very good way to govern.
There were several unsurprising reasons for this.
For one, many said that they don’t feel that politicians care what they think.
And moreover they don’t feel that anyone is representing their views.
There was, however, a silver lining: many of these very same people see hope for improvement.
Today, I’d like to discuss one possible reform that I believe will inject that hope for the future.
Rapporteur Mr Anastasios CHATZIVASILEIOU in the Report makes several useful recommendations on how to increase youth engagement in political decision-making at the national level.
One, for example, is to align the voting age and the eligibility age to run for office.
To me, that’s only common sense. If one can choose a representative, one could be a representative.
And thankfully, that's already the case in Canada.
But I’d liked to have seen a bolder recommendation: that states consider making 16 their legal voting age, even as we might set a higher age to hold office.
In Canada, like in most countries, only those 18 and above are eligible to vote.
My party in the Canadian Parliament has been pushing to lower that to 16 for years, convinced by the research that has shown the positive impacts of allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to cast a ballot.
For that reason, I look forward to hearing the views of the rapporteurs and my colleagues from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, and Malta on the subject, who all already allow citizens 16 and over to vote.
Colleagues, let's consider some facts.
The history of the franchise is one of constant movement. From expanding voting to men of nobility, of property, from the age of 30, to 21 to 18, to women, to indigenous people, etc.
Many 16- and 17-year-olds work and pay taxes, yet they have no say on how their contributions are spent.
This is a fundamental violation of representative democracy.
In many countries, 16- and 17-year-olds are trusted to drive, join the military, be incarcerated, even marry with parental consent.
Youth are informed and engaged as never before.
In my experience campaigning, youth are often better motivated and informed then many adults that I speak to. Their time horizons are the longest of us all, decisions that we make today will affect them perhaps 80 years from now.
Most importantly for this debate, research shows that citizens who vote in the first elections they qualify for are likely to become lifelong voters.
If we combine civic training on a non-partisan basis exploring our democratic processes, parties, and issues in our secondary schools with voting in elections, we can better prepare and produce informed, engaged voters.
Colleagues our world needs the optimism, energy, ideas, and participation of youth, and frankly our democracies depend on it.
Thank you.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
11:27:46
Thank you very much.
And I call Mr Roland Rino BÜCHEL.
You have 3 minutes.
Switzerland, ALDE
11:27:52
Dear Mister chairman,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Yes, it is true that politics must take on board the views, expectations and concerns of young people if democracy is to function well. Young people bring dynamism and new ideas to politics. And yes, young people are sometimes less represented in national parliaments than middle-aged people.
That young people are generally less involved in traditional politics than others is unfortunately no secret. However, I think that legal obstacles, prejudices and a lack of opportunities are not the only problem. It's just that in life you have to gain experience in different areas. That's not the only reason why I think we should be careful with quotas at all possible levels.
It is of course true that young people are more affected by decisions because they simply will live longer in this world than us older people – Mr Don DAVIES has just said. I therefore welcome the fact that the Council of Europe is a pioneer and trailblazer for the participation of young people. The achievements of the 50th anniversary of the Council of Europe's youth sector and the many contributions of young people to this organisation are a good testimony to the valuable work that is being done here. I like the suggestion that committees of this Assembly should appoint a youth rapporteur to bring the perspective of young people into the debates. Whenever possible, the members of the Youth Advisory Council and the other youth structures of the Council of Europe should be invited to contribute to the preparation of reports. They should be able to participate in hearings and exchanges and submit contributions at committee level.
On the other hand, I do not think it is right that the national delegations should be given the mandate to increase the number of young parliamentarians among their members by means of a quota, ladies and gentlemen. If we seriously think that we are strengthening democracy by imposing a so-called youth quota not only on parliaments, but also on political parties, then we are on the wrong track in terms of democratic policy, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very much.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
11:30:42
Thank you very much.
I now call on Mr Cerni ESCALÉ.
You have 3 minutes.
Andorra, SOC
11:30:58
Dear chairman, colleagues.
Deliberation and participation of citizens beyond choosing their representatives is not only good and needs to be encouraged, but is a key component to the right of civic and political participation.
Our institutions have a democratic deficit. It is not only punctuated by the worsening rise of authoritarian politics in Europe but also by, disaffection dissatisfaction and a disconnect between citizens and the representative institutions. The challenges we face regarding democratic rights lie not only in the eastern frontier of Europe or in the rise of far-right movements, but in our very own institutions.
We see so in the lack of formal opportunities for political participation beyond the election of representatives and occasional narrowly framed consultations. Our institutions are Victorian and ill-equipped. There is, in this sense, a need still to harness the tools that technology has to offer in the service of democracy, as large language models revolutionise artificial intelligence (AI).
We need also to ensure that the human perspective is not substituted but enhanced by AI, as we come ever closer to artificial general intelligence. The Report on strengthening democracy outlines very well the need to promote good practices and to find new mechanisms for civic participation. Taking a side step, I would suggest that participation is not only useful for its legitimacy value but also because it creates collective and actionable intelligence. It enables to more effectively address the problems we face.
Representatives in assemblies and government officials bring to the table political, legal and secular expertise that better address the challenges we need to collect and understand situational knowledge and citizens and their opinions.
It is often neglected and yet crucial that open deliberation with citizens take place at the right moment. Very often, when it comes to deliberation, problem identification and problem solving are confused, so is commenting, drafting and implementation. And yet, we have experience in these processes. Social networks and online participation, for example, have been significantly more successful in defeating bad proposals than in creating good policies, as criticising requires less knowledge than proposing solutions and waging alternatives.
Democratic security, as portrayed in the Reykjavík Declaration, is a harbinger of the other human rights against democratic backsliding. Democratic participation from the grassroots, in the flesh or mediated by technology, ought to be institutionalised, as the Report well says, beyond traditional elections. And I hope the approval of two Reports today is followed by our very own Council of Europe engaging in a deeper debate on the better instruments for democratic rights and good governance.
Thank you.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
11:34:12
Thank you very much.
I now call on Ms Meryem GÖKA.
Türkiye, NR
11:34:20
Thank you so much dear President and colleagues.
Türkiye has a sophisticated political culture ensuring election security and citizen's trust and ballot box.
Since 1950 our country consistently achieved one of the world's highest voter turnout rates, averaging 82%.
Last May, Türkiye achieved the third highest election participation rate among OECD countries with 89% in the first round, and 86% in the second round of our presidential elections.
While the right to vote is vital, it's not the only element of democracy.
Of course, establishing bridges between citizens and political institutions is essential as noted in the Report.
Making people agents in decision-making mechanisms is crucial.
For example, our 2010 and 2017 referendums on constitutional amendments in Türkiye exemplified the true spirit of democracy in action through direct public participation.
These moments highlighted the people's power to shape the nation's destiny, reaffirming their role as the ultimate decision makers.
With over 11 million members, the AK Party stands as Türkiye's largest political movement, embodying the fundamental practice of participatory democracy.
Among different activities, we conduct home visits and advisory councils to listen to the demands of our women and youth, ensuring that we hear every voice in society and develop tailored policies.
I served nine years as the vice-chair of the women's branch. I'm so enthusiastic about the work in different participatory activities with the largest women's movement: over 5 million women members and 500 000 active volunteers. We are functioning like a school for nurturing women politicians.
By promoting inclusivity and grass-roots involvement, we cultivate a sense of belonging, stimulate the emergence of different diverse ideas, and enhance communication and build trust among citizens.
Lowering the voting age and candidacy age has injected new vibrancy into our democracy, empowering our youth to actively participate in shaping the future of our nation.
We cultivate future leaders through our political academies. Also, many municipalities in Türkiye have established new units called "solution desks".
We have an initiative like CİMER, called the presidential communication centre, the world's largest public communication platform, it exemplifies our commitment to a functional participatory democracy by facilitating citizens' right to petition and access information, ensuring transparency and responsiveness in governance.
Through these efforts we strengthen the connection between representatives and the public, ensuring governance remains accountable and citizen-centric.
Thank you very much.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
11:37:32
Thank you very much.
I now call Lord David BLENCATHRA.
You have 3 minutes.
United Kingdom, EC/DA
11:37:37
Mister President.
I thank the rapporteur Mr George PAPANDREOU for all the work he's put into this Report and for his good intentions to widen democracy.
Nevertheless, I am deeply concerned that what he proposes will weaken the rights of elected members and give more power to unelected and single-issue pressure groups.
Of course, we all want more people to take an interest in how their country is run and to participate by then voting for representatives. If you don't vote, then don't complain about the government.
In my 40 years in Parliament, I have seen the rise of the dictatorial single-issue pressure groups, and the way they try to force elected members to follow one extreme position or another.
If a member of parliament says that he or she sees a case for abortion, but with certain limits, then he or she gets abuse from those who want no abortion at all and those at the other end who want a free for all.
These groups see everything in black and white, but elected members have to balance all the rights, the right to free speech, but not to be defamed, the right to good pensions and old age, but not bankrupting the smaller number of young people who have to pay for them.
Mr George PAPANDREOU believes that we can create a system where we will get well thought out and balanced views from a well informed electorate. I'm afraid I fundamentally disagree. The system will be hijacked by pressure groups, the most well-funded, the most articulate, and possibly the most extreme.
Look at the recent EU elections.
If, in addition to those who voted conventionally, let's say we had some additional participative system, then I suggest that the results from that would have even been more radical.
Elected parliamentarians these days are under constant attack, including one of my colleagues who was murdered. But they are daily under abusive attacks on social media unless they adopt absolutist positions on issues. Okay, as elected representatives they have to tolerate it, but then use their best judgement to balance the different rights and vote accordingly and then justify their decisions to the general electorate. But not those involved in the participative democracy system. They have no electorate. They have no need to explain, they have no accountability, and no comeback.
And then we have the big new danger: Artificial Intelligence. This Council has already passed resolutions expressing our concerns on how this can be manipulated to thwart democracy.
I am sure that presidents Putin and Xi would be delighted if we implemented participated democracy, since they are the world experts in creating fake news and running false stories.
I believe it would be disastrous for us to give them the levers of power also.
It is important, vitally important, that people participate in democracy, but it must be done through the elected representatives, and governments should make it easier for elected representatives to involve the public, inform the public, and collect their views and opinions, and then elected members must decide, make the laws, and justify them to the electorate.
Anything else I suggest is anarchy and handing over power to computer algorithms.
Thank you very much.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
11:40:45
Thank you very much.
I now call on Mr Alain CADEC. You have 3 minutes.
France, EPP/CD
11:40:54
Mr Chairman,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
At a time when French democracy, like others in Europe, is in turmoil, I would like to thank our colleagues for their Reports, which highlight the challenges we face, both in terms of our deliberative processes and the involvement of young people in the work of our Assembly.
First of all, I would like to reaffirm my deep attachment to representative democracy. It may not be perfect. We can certainly see today that it is, if not being called into question, at least being questioned, due to a form of political fatigue against a backdrop of rising populism, misinformation or disinformation on the part of our fellow citizens, further exacerbated by the rise of social networks, and the growing need for a link between those who govern and those who are governed between two elections.
However, in the face of complex problems, "TikTok democracy" is not the way to promote peaceful and lasting solutions for our societies. In my view, representative democracy remains the indispensable foundation for the cohesion of our societies and the ability to deploy and sustain the respect for democracy, the rule of law and human rights to which we are all attached.
Nevertheless, I fully understand our colleagues' comments on the need to take better account of the views of citizens, particularly young people, between two elections, at different stages, whether at local or national level.
While referendums are the simplest way of involving the entire population in political decision-making, in my opinion they can only be used to address simple issues that are easily accessible to citizens.
While our Swiss colleagues have a great tradition of popular voting, this is not the case in all countries, and we need to take into account the political traditions of each country to find the right balance.
Other forms of participatory process have also developed over the last few decades. These include consultative assemblies, whether permanent or not, which can make recommendations on a particular issue. In France, we've seen several examples of this, with "citizens' conventions" held prior to the presentation of draft legislation. While this is a worthwhile approach, I would like to sound a note of caution regarding the composition and independence of these bodies, which are sometimes heavily influenced by lobbies or activists. This is a pitfall that needs to be emphasised.
I would also like to inform you of an initiative taken by the French Parliament to revitalise citizens' right to petition, which had fallen into disuse. In the Senate, petitions that have gathered at least 100 000 signatures within a six-month period are forwarded to the Conference of Presidents, which may decide to act on them, for example by setting up a monitoring mission, placing a text on the agenda or organising a debate in public session. This is an interesting way of combining citizen initiative and representative democracy.
Thank you very much.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
11:43:58
Thank you very much.
I now call on Mr Pierre-Alain FRIDEZ. You have 3 minutes.
Switzerland, SOC
11:44:12
Thank you, Mister President.
Democracy is based on a foundation of essential fundamental principles: free and competitive elections, the rule of law, impartial justice, separation of powers, freedom of expression, freedom of the press and much more. But then, each state organises the functioning of this democracy in its own way, and there are two extremes of democratic organisation: horizontality and verticality.
I'll start with verticality, vertical power. The possibility of exercising one's democratic right in public life is then limited to voting: these are representative democracies. But with a majoritarian electoral system, very often, a large proportion of the electorate cannot be represented: in some systems, 30% of the population can obtain an absolute majority, and the others no longer have any power, so to speak.
There's an example from a country near me, France, where the situation has happened that sometimes, important laws such as those on pensions aren't even passed by Parliament because of a particular piece of legislation called the 49.3; and then, the evolution is towards confrontation because there's no possibility of a referendum being put in place. That's a vertical system.
At the other extreme, there's horizontality, and I'd say that Switzerland is an example of horizontality: direct democracy at every level, from the commune to the canton, i.e. the regions, to the Confederation, with proportional representation elections as a general rule. In other words, everyone, somewhere, can be represented. And it goes even further: there is a right of popular proposal with initiatives – as my colleague Mr Damien COTTIER mentioned earlier. And then there is the right to monitor parliamentary decisions at all levels, through referendums. At least four times a year, the Swiss people vote on 10 to 12 issues, and this gives rise to highly participative and representative debates, after which people vote with full knowledge of the facts. Participation may be 50%, but in fact, the others trust the system because they know that somewhere, there is direct access to the possibility of expressing themselves.
So, participatory, deliberative means adherence, acceptance, social peace. And in my country, we've reached a situation where people, after reflection, vote and refuse, for example, a fifth week's vacation, or accept an increase in the retirement age without conflict.
So I recommend more horizontality, less verticality. But, of course, each country organises itself as it wishes.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
11:47:11
Thank you very much.
And the last Speaker before we will have to interrupt the speeches will be Ms Mariia MEZENTSEVA.
You have 3 minutes.
Ukraine, EPP/CD
11:47:47
Thank you, dear Speaker.
Hello colleagues.
Hello dear representatives of youth who are here at the balconies, and not only.
Today we are debating two extremely important Resolutions.
I would like to thank the rapporteurs, and of course the Secretariat who helped to realise the text of this Resolution.
I hope yet another time we would not remain just as documents, but they will be implemented when we talk about the voting rights, the age limits, the participation of youth in political life of the member states and beyond.
This is extremely important, because youth is not our future, dear colleagues. Youth is the reality of today. We should consider them as reliable partners, as initiators of important legislative initiatives, and the frontrunners of the changes globally.
When our member states are in numerous protracted armed conflicts, like my home country Ukraine, invaded illegally buy the Russian Federation since 2014, with a full-scale invasion in February 2022.
This very Assembly sends a very right signal on how we can support youth, on how their participation impacts today and tomorrow, when they become parents, when they join different political campaigns, when they stand up for their country as soldiers, women and men in the army, like they do for instance in Ukraine.
Dear colleagues, in Ukraine, with the most prominent decentralisation reform, we have more youth participation at the city councils, where we have youth as leaders of changes, they later on become members of this respective council, and they can influence policies.
I also would like to remind that we have a lot... We have quite a young Parliament, but also local councils. It helps us to promote youth policies.
Recently, Ukraine has become the 43rd member of the Bank of Reconstruction of the Council of Europe. We now promote programmes on how to use these funds to support youth housing, youth participation, programmes for technical support delivering new skills.
Because this is about you, friends. On following days you will replace us here, in numerous assemblies, not only in the Council of Europe as one of the most prominent organisations for human rights for the last 75 years, but in many more other endeavours.
I would also like to say that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe always supports national parliaments and youth.
I would like to encourage you to participate in the World Forum for Democracy, when it's you who are questioning politicians, when it's you who set up the priorities, when it's you who decide the future.
Thank you very much, President.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
11:50:53
Thank you very much.
I must now interrupt the list of Speakers.
The speeches of members on the Speakers' list who have been present during the debate but have not been able to speak may be given to the Table Office for publication in the official Report.
I remind colleagues that the typewritten text can be submitted electronically, if possible no later than 4 hours after the list of Speakers is interrupted.
The ballot of the election of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe is still open. Those who have not yet voted may still do so by going to the lobby of the Committee of Ministers. The vote closes at 12:05 p.m.
Now, I first call on Mr Anastasios CHATZIVASILEIOU to reply. You have 3 minutes.
Greece, EPP/CD, Rapporteur
11:51:57
I would like, first of all, to thank Mr George PAPANDREOU for his invaluable work, also Ms Yevheniia KRAVCHUK and Ms Marharyta VORYKHAVA for their contribution. Moreover, I'd like to thank the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, our Chairperson and all my colleagues for their important contributions. Of course, I am grateful to Ms Sonia SIRTORI, Mr Cesare COLOMBO, and Mr Anastasios CHATZIVASILEIOU.
Dear colleagues,
You know that less than 3% of parliamentarians globally are coming from the younger generation. Are we happy with this number? Less than 3% of deputies are coming from the youth. We are not happy with this statistics, dear colleagues. This is why we believe that whatever we decide in politics in many cases seems really irrelevant to the younger generation. They think that they don't have anything to do with whatever we decide behind closed doors. We never said that only the young people can or should decide for their issues. Now, dear colleagues, we said here that we have to involve the younger generation in the decision-making process. It's a pity that some political powers, political forces deny the young generations' right to co-design, to co-decide, to have a stronger voice. We should not fear young people's impetus and innovation, dear colleagues.
I have to tell you that today as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Council of Europe, our Parliamentary Assembly is ready to adopt a mechanism of credibility and above all inclusiveness. Here we have to deliver the commitment of the heads of state and government towards the younger Europeans. We have to build resilient democracies by involving the youth in our work.
Yes, as Mr Oleksii GONCHARENKO told us before, there are young people in Ukraine who are fighting with weapons. Therefore, we have to allow young Europeans to fight with democratic tools in order to strengthen our states and our democracies. I'm very happy that we have a lot of young people here inside the chamber and in the audience. Welcome, welcome, dear friends. I have to tell you something. When I decided to run for the first time for political office, I was almost 31 years old with restricted financial resources, but I had a lot of stamina and devotion to my goal. This is why I call you to come and participate in this mechanism, to support this mechanism and come and work with us for a better European future. Allow me to remind you of what Churchill had said before, "Never give in. Never. Never. Never."
Thank you, dear colleagues.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
11:54:47
Thank you very much.
I now call Mr George PAPANDREOU to reply.
You have 3 minutes.
Greece, SOC, Rapporteur
11:54:55
My Report is a call for the spirit of educated engagement where we can bring all into our political life.
As someone mentioned – Mr Ioannis OIKONOMOU – in ancient Athens, politics was not simply a fight for power, it was a capacity to imagine a much better future collectively and actually make it happen.
And on the contrary, Lord David BLENCATHRA, democracy was a way to make sure that we do not have concentration of power. And as Lord George FOULKES said earlier, this is one of the big problems of today's democracy. We have a huge concentration of power, which is capturing our institutions, undermining our institutions; money and politics, wealth and politics, wealth and media, wealth and lobbying.
This here Report is saying we have ways to find new forms of engagement, new forms of experimentation which can rethink, restructure the powers that be so that we make our societies more democratic, more participatory.
So we should allow our imagination to move beyond what we know as daily routines in our politics. And we have seen that there are ways. Ms Fiona O'LOUGHLIN from Ireland mentioned a very important experience of the citizens' assemblies on such a difficult issue as abortion. There were no lobbies that made the decision. There were no single-issue groups that influenced. It was citizens with experts thinking deeply about the question. It was not a TikTok dialogue. It was a deeper dialogue, one informed and educated. This is what we want to see through engagement and through citizen participation.
And there are many ways we should imagine. As Mr Anastasios CHATZIVASILEIOU very well said and his proposals on the Youth Rapporteur for our committees, for all our work. This is of great importance.
But there are other forms, internet platforms where everybody has an equal voice on deliberating on policy. What if Facebook was actually owned not by Zuckerberg but by all of us who use it? What if Twitter was not owned by Elon Musk but was owned by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe?
Our Swiss colleague talked about direct democracy. We have to learn from Switzerland, of course, and it is not only the opinion polls that should guide us. They are very artificial, they are static. They do not delve into a deeper understanding. They do not allow for participation. They allow for manipulation.
So we need to find more participatory ways to truly make our democracy better.
A final word. Participation and democracy was also a way to peacefully, not through polarisation, not through violence, not through the law of the powerful, to make decisions – peaceful decisions. That is why democracy is linked for peace, that is why democracy is linked for the fight that Ukraine is giving, Georgia is giving, we are all giving, for democracy and peace in Europe.
Thank you very much.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
11:58:19
Thank you very much.
Would Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS like to take the floor as Vice-Chairperson of the Committee?
You have 3 minutes.
Lithuania, EPP/CD, Vice-Chairperson of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy
11:58:31
I am just representing the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy.
We have unanimous support, George and Mister Chatzivasileiou and Madam Kravchuk.
We supported you during all of our votes unanimously, so unanimously supported by all parties. Your struggle to finally bring the youth dimension and try to say how important it is, during the war against us, to strengthen our democratic qualities inside of our democratic societies, when outside of our democratic societies we have Belarus with everyday arrested young people on the streets.
We remember Madam Kolesnikova, your revolution with the youth more like 1 million in Minsk.
We member funerals of Navalny in Russia where thousands of young people not looking to the repressions came to the funerals of Navalny, representing the other option of Russia.
And we would like to ask you to be after the speech of Madam MEZENTSEVA. She is a young person, leader of the Ukrainian delegation from Kharkiv who is bombed every day.
We would like to ask you all on the balconies, be with Ukrainian youth: support them in every city, in every capital of our democratic nation, and please even be there and be supportive in Ukraine with them, unite our forces against evil, against the totalitarian attacks, against aggression against Ukraine.
The youth of Georgia were very active and we are encouraging you to be active. And we just had a discussion about this in Georgia, about this law about foreign agents. And thank you to the youngsters and the young generation in Georgia for being active on the democratic front.
From our point of view - today, the day that is dedicated to youth, and I'm chairing actually, I am like the dean of this Assembly, once a year opening as the oldest, longest-serving member. But we should have the youngest-serving member opening our assemblies here in a place where you now are sitting, not only the most-serving.
So we are building trust in politics, we are building just now trust in our political systems. Please, don't vote, don't be involved in the hatred teams in Europe.
Please, choose your place to be among the classical spectre of our party system presented here in the Assembly. Youth, be on the side of democracy, never on the side of hatred.
On my side, I would like to say that the Reykjavík Summit was a big deal, the Reykjavík Summit was supporting the youth dimension. You have all documents presented by all rapporteurs and I would like to say thank you for the unanimous support to our common document and you will now vote for that, and I would like to encourage to unanimously show that we are supporting our young generation inside of our democratic society, fighting against hatred and radical trends.
Thank you.
Norway, ALDE
13:10:47
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
Dear President and dear colleagues,
I just turned 30, but I still feel young. This topic is not only close to my heart but also vital for the health and future of our democracies.
Youth participation is an essential precondition for the good functioning of democracy. However, despite our potential, young people are under-represented in parliaments and often disengaged from traditional politics due to legislative barriers, prejudices, and a lack of opportunities.
Reflecting on my own journey, I recall how challenging it was to find a platform where my voice could be heard. This experience is not unique; it is a sentiment shared by many young individuals who strive to contribute to political discourse. Through persistence and support from mentors who believed in the power of youth, I was able to make my mark. This personal journey underscores the importance of creating pathways for young people to engage meaningfully in political processes.
By taking the steps proposed today, we can ensure that young people are not just seen but heard, not just present but active participants in the political processes that shape their futures. Strengthening youth participation is not just an option; it is an imperative for building resilient democracies capable of addressing the long-term challenges of our time.
We also can discuss and make decisions within topics that does not directly impact young people, we can engage in difficult and advanced decisions. Former member of Pace, Emilie Mehl, became the youngest minister in Norway, when she, aged 28, became Minister of justice. She is highly regarded by many in Norway.
You need to trust in us, believe in us and give us responsibilities.
To make a change, the work starts with us who are already here in the parliaments. We need to remember that each and every one of us are replaceable. We need to share our experience and knowledge with younger people, we need to make room for them and listen to them.
Thank you for your attention, and I look forward to working with all of you to make these proposals a reality. Together, we can ensure that the voices of our youth are at the heart of our democratic processes.
Bulgaria, NR
13:10:51
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
Dear Mister chair,
Dear colleagues,
I will support the resolution on strengthening the youth perspective in the work of the Parliamentary Assembly.
Young people are our future. It is not just a pompous phrase. It is the reality.
Isn’t it, then, more than necessary to make sure that those who will live in that future participate in the decision-making shaping it now?
Not just participate but be responsible for it.
I think it is the wise thing to do.
Young people are not simply the future – they possess the skills, potential and consciousness to shape the present and bring the much needed positive impact on longer-term areas such as environmental protection, digital transformation and socio-economic inequalities.
I strongly welcome the active involvement of youth participants in all relevant aspects of the national delegations’ and the Assembly’s work, particularly in the decision-making process. I stand for the initiative to appoint Youth Rapporteurs in the Assembly’s respective committees, while also including more young European representatives in the debates on, elaboration, implementation and evaluation of youth policies. The cornerstone of the youth perspective in the Parliamentary Assembly’s work should be the effective guarantees that young people fully participate in the respective processes. This would mean that their inclusion in decision-making is not merely symbolic, but provides the terrain for shared responsibilities with other political representatives. Establishing a sustainable working mechanism of youth institutional empowerment should also take into account that the young people are a heterogeneous group and put an emphasis on those from the more vulnerable social backgrounds.
We need to come together with further suggestions for widening the perspectives for youth participation in the Parliamentary Assembly and implement some of the best practices incorporated by other interparliamentary and intergovernmental organisations at European and international level. Indeed, one of the most sustainable and productive examples in this regard is the Youth Delegate Program to the United Nations. Bulgaria is among the pioneer states having run the program for 17 years, while also promoting its establishment in other countries.
In the 50th National Parliament, 45% of the Bulgarian parliamentarians are aged 45 or younger, but less than 1% are aged 30 or younger.
While there have been positive developments in terms of widening youth political participation, there is still a lot more to be done on the path towards the full realisation of this priority at all levels.
Canada
13:10:53
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
Honourable colleagues,
Thank you to the rapporteurs for these comprehensive and thorough reports.
Today, I’m going to focus my remarks on the report on “Strengthening a youth perspective in the work of the Parliamentary Assembly.”
In Reykjavík last year, Heads of State set out the Reykjavík Principles for Democracy, one was to give priority to initiatives “supporting the participation of young persons in democratic life and decision-making processes.”
Today, the rapporteur proposes a few interesting avenues for implementing this objective. One is the appointment in each of the Assembly’s general committees of a Young Rapporteur to raise a youth perspective in the debates on the reports under preparation.
In my brief remarks this morning, I’d like to share with you a youth-inclusive initiative we have in Canada’s Standing Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples, which I chair.
In 2016, our Committee started inviting Indigenous youth leaders to appear as witnesses on National Indigenous Peoples Day.
For eight years now, this initiative has allowed us to truly acknowledge “that Indigenous youth have powerful voices and vital perspectives that are essential to our work.”
As a general rule, our Committee “recognises that hearing from Indigenous youth is critical to ensure their input on matters that affect their lives.”
As such, I wholeheartedly agree with the rapporteur here that “[s]trengthening youth participation in political decision making is not only the right thing to work towards; it is also the smart thing to do.”
We must establish structures to ensure that our youth contribute to political decision‑making processes, since they – particularly Indigenous youth – are and will be the most affected by the greatest challenge of the 21st century: climate change.
As the United Nations pointed out last year when discussing climate action, “Indigenous youth need more opportunities to engage.”
I believe this is particularly true for Indigenous youth – in the interests of pluralism, inclusiveness and non-discrimination, all of which are values underpinning the Council of Europe.
I therefore welcome the initiatives proposed by the rapporteur to truly address the challenges relating to the representativeness of our democracies and to contribute to ensuring intergenerational justice.
Wela’lin. Thank you.
Sweden, SOC
13:10:55
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
Thank you Mister President. Dear colleagues.
I want to thank the rapporteur for an excellent Report.
Taking into account the opinions, expectations, and concerns of young people is crucial for ensuring our ability to achieve long-term development for the society and to bring new ideas to political issues.
Sadly young people are underrepresented in local, regional, and national parliaments and they are increasingly disengaging from traditional politics. This risks undermining the representation of our elected institutions over time.
Like the rapporteur, I welcome the position taken by the Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe during the fourth summit, that a youth perspective should be included in all Council of Europe intergovernmental work.
Strengthening the youth perspective in political decision-making processes requires a diversity of measures, and national parliaments also play a significant role in this regard, as highlighted in the Report.
The Report offers several important proposals for how the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe can develop our part and increase youth participation in our work.
As rightly noted in the Report, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has already implemented an initiative to invite young people to participate in its sessions as youth delegates, to make their opinions in debates, and exchange views with Congress members. Nine years ago, as a young local politician, I served as Sweden's youth delegate to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, that was long before I became a member of the Swedish parliament and now also a member of the Parliamentary Assembly. That experience as a youth delegate was crucial for me to later undertake the assignment to represent my parliament in this assembly.
I thank the rapporteur for a job well done, and I clearly support initiatives in this assembly that can lead to increased youth participation in politics.
Thank you.
Georgia, NR
13:10:57
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
Mister President, I would like to address the assembly regarding the current situation in Georgia. It is honor for me representing my country in this Parliamentary Assembly for the first time. This year we celebrate 75 years from the establishment of Council of Europe. Still, Europe needs to strengthen democracy through inclusive processes - to address our common challenges.
Participation in decision making is guaranteed by the constitution of Georgia. We have done much regarding that. New Rules of Procedure of the parliament set up certain mechanisms - petition, legislative proposal, etc. The same for municipalities.
My country leads among all candidate countries and among some NATO and EU member states. Making Georgia #1 performer! I will emphasize on certain figures that proof our aspirations and progress:
In Open Budget Index 2023 - Georgia again ranks first among 125 countries in Budget Transparency. Including oversight and public participation, placing Georgia 5th out of 125 countries;
Freedom Index 2024 - higher ranking than all EU candidate countries, 6 NATO and 2 EU member states. Evaluating 164 countries on criteria such as civil liberties, political rights, judicial independence, fair elections, and public safety;
Index of Economic Freedom 2024 - ranking 38th globally in "Government Integrity," entering Europe's top 20. Surpassing all candidate countries, EU 11 and NATO 13 states;
2023 Integrity Index - marking its best-ever position at 29th. Georgia leads Eastern Europe and Central Asia, surpassing all EU candidate countries, 8 EU and 10 NATO states;
Rule of Law Index 2023 - Georgia is on the 48th place out of 142 countries, ahead of all EU candidate countries. also, leading 2 EU and 5 NATO members;
Economic Freedom of the World 2023 report - Georgia ranking 15th in Europe and 25th in the world. We're leading all candidate states, 19 NATO member and 16 European Union states.
In addition to vibrant democracy, effectively functioning institutions and solid legal framework, Georgia is quickly catching up with economic indicators - GDP per capita ranks 4th among 9 candidate countries, with record high this year - 12%.
When 20% of our territories are occupied by Russia, we remain peace, show highest economic growth and continue EU integration process. We are getting ready for parliamentary elections in October - first time fully proportional and by using electronic machines.
Georgian people, our government and the whole country are united in those aspirations. The path re-gained after recovery of independence in 1991, is being and I am sure, will be continued. Participation in decision making is one of the core values for that purposes.
Thank you.
Ukraine, ALDE
13:10:59
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
Dear chairman, dear Assembly!
I would like to begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to the rapporteurs for the work you have done. Youth policies, empowerment of young people and providing them opportunities to grow, influence and co-create the world they will inherit - have always been my personal priorities since years of my students’ activism, then as a junior researcher and as a leader of the NGO “Youth initiatives of cities”. I am confident that addressing youth perspective in the Council of Europe is an efficient way to shape our collective future of Europe. It beneficial for all to make young people more engaged in political processes locally, nationally and on the international level, especially in the Council of Europe, the organisation which historically is deeply involved in youth empowerment and their engagement in political matters. I have meetings with young activists, students, youth workers on a regular basis, and must say that the youth bring a fresh perspective to numerous issues and often propose innovative solutions. This resolution and recommendation has the potential to boost creation of a reserve of young, talented leaders ready to take responsibility for our future.
Member states should increase co-operation with national youth councils and youth organisations and networks on the national level, and have more thematic discussions on topical issues, also those related to the future of democracy, future of Europe. And the key here is quality and comprehensive education.
It is, however, regrettable that young people are underrepresented in parliaments and that they are insufficiently engaged in traditional politics due to legislative and other barriers, prejudices and a lack of opportunities. This can lead to a sense of disillusionment with political life, a lack of representation in institutions, and questions about intergenerational justice.
In light of the significant challenges our country has faced, it is of the utmost importance to create an environment that encourages the active involvement of young people in these processes. This will enable them to make valuable contributions to the reconstruction and progress of Ukraine. It is encouraging to note that over 2 500 individuals have expressed their willingness to join the civil service reserve, intending to assist in the restoration of territories that have been liberated from occupation.
I would like to encourage all of you to support these Resolutions and Recommendations. Our strength lies in our unity and our collective efforts for youth and with youth!
Georgia, SOC
13:11:01
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
Thank you, Mister President!
Special thanks to the rapporteurs for the significant work conducted.
Participation is a fundamental right of citizenship, because this is the way to learn what being a citizen means and how to be one. Youth participation can also be seen as a form of a youth-adult partnership. There are different degrees of how the youth can be involved or take over the responsibility, depending on the local situation, resources, needs, and level of experience.
Any youth policy should aim at providing young people with equal opportunities and experience which enable them to develop the knowledge, skills and competencies to play a full part in all aspects of society. Participation is central to the youth policy in various ways: Firstly, supporting youth organisations, setting up youth platforms or consultative bodies, recognising the role of student councils and student unions in school management; Secondly, youth policies should be developed, implemented and evaluated together with young people, namely through ways that take into account their priorities, perspectives and interests and should also involve them in the process; and thirdly, youth policies and programs should encourage participant-centered approaches to human rights education, through which participants exert and learn involvement and citizenship.
Georgia, a small country with limited natural resources, recognises that our greatest asset is our human capital. With a population of approximately 3.7 million, the youth, defined as individuals aged between 14-29 years, make up roughly 18% of our population (approximately 650 000 individuals).
The Government of Georgia recognises that empowering young people is vital for the country’s future. The state prioritises youth engagement in democratic processes through active participation as a cornerstone for sustainable development and building a stable society. We are implementing a multi-pronged strategy focusing on education reform, skills development, and harnessing the power of digitalisation.
In 2020, after extensive consultations with youth and stakeholders across the country, the Parliament of Georgia elaborated and adopted the State Youth Policy Concept Document. This document outlines sectorial policy priorities and expected results to be achieved by 2030.
In 29 out of 64 municipalities all over the country, the local Youth Councils have been established and are operational. These Councils serve as platforms for direct communication of local youth with municipality authorities. Based on best practices, we have witnessed in many cases youth engagement in consideration of the municipality budgets and finally taking into account those demands related to youth activities.
Beyond traditional educational pathways, we must cultivate alternative mechanisms that empower young people with essential competencies and practical skills. Non-formal education emerges as a powerful tool in this endeavour. It fosters a space for hands-on learning and skill development, not only equipping youth with the qualifications demanded by today's dynamic labor market but also nurturing critical thinking and creativity.
Portugal, SOC
13:11:02
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
First of all, I would like to thank you for such a relevant Report.
Defending democracy is first and after all defending human rights. When defending democracy we are properly fighting populism and extreme right.
Ensuring we have the proper means to defend democracy is the core to ensure it will survive to the undisclosed attacks it constantly suffers.
We know that strengthening democracy requires, like you just said, a proper legal and regulatory framework, this meaning that is accountable for the citizens but also that is possible to deliver demands and goals that citizens expect from political responsibles. We must be careful with an overload of check and balances that will avoid us to move and block political work in a way that does not allow to deliver answers to the real problems of the citizens.
Do never forget we are in the ‘blink’ society, meaning that this new era demands everything in a ‘blink’.
On the other hand, a proper balance of check and balances provides trust, as well as ensures that more citizens have the will to participate.
Trust in representative democracy
Is essential because direct democracy will always distort the final equality goal. The distortion of information in between them it will make it impossible.
For that, permanent contact with all individual citizens, formal traditional groups of representations (unions, ngo, etc) but also informal groups with fringe structure but that provides a momentaneous response to citizens needs, need to be considered and ensured.
Democracy uses media and internet to spread information To be in contact with those citizens.
But, like you previously said, malignant actors use social media and AI and digital tools to distort and provoke.
It’s urgent that the accountability of those means and a proper and strick regulatory framework for those working those channels and their global action is put in place. Without that we are being driven by algorithms that feed it self with democratic means to attack and destroy democracy.
Canada
13:11:05
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
Honourable colleagues,
As noted in rapporteur CHATZIVASILEIOU’s remarkable Report, taking the views and concerns of youth into account is vital for a democracy to thrive.
Regrettably, young people are under-represented in legislatures around the world and, too often, do not actively engage with traditional politics.
This, unfortunately, is also a significant challenge and issue in Canada, even if youth constitute one‑fifth of the Canadian population: in March 2021, the average age of Members of Parliament was 53 years-old, an individual must be at least 30 years-old to become Senator and in 2021, the voter turnout for the 18 to 24 age group was of 46.7% compared to 74.9% for the 65 to 74 age group.
There are certainly opportunities for youth participation in Canadian politics – I was myself first elected as a city counsellor in 2006 at the age of 23 and I became a young voice at the federal level when I was elected as a Member of Parliament in 2015.
Still, recognizing that underrepresentation of youth is an issue, the Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that youth concerns are at the centre of its decision-making.
To that effect, the Federal Youth Secretariat created in 2016, works to: facilitate youth engagement, help amplify youth voices to affect positive change and ensure youth perspectives are taken into consideration in government policy and decision.
Moreover, and also created in 2016, the Prime Minister’s Youth Council, provides non-partisan advice and youth perspectives to the government on federal priorities. Members are between 16 and 24 years old.
Canada is also working to increase youth participation in elections.
For instance, a bill currently before our Parliament would offer youth additional options for registering and voting, including on campuses.
As Prime Minister Trudeau said in 2019: “Young people are nation-builders. They have a distinctive ability to frame issues differently and to call attention to matters of importance that may otherwise be overlooked or underestimated.”
There has been progress in terms of strengthening youth perspective in Canada’s governance since 2015, but it is an ongoing issue and today’s discussion will no doubt help us think of ways to improve how we can strengthen youth perspective in our respective legislatures.
I look forward to learning your experiences. Thank you.
Malta, SOC
13:11:06
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
Thank you to both rapporteurs for these really well written Reports.
I was absolutely delighted to see a Report focusing on the youth perspective on our agenda aligned with the Report on strengthening democracy through participatory process.
I am one of the 17 members aged 30 and below, a statistic in the Report which is disappointing yet unsurprising.
This session marks two years of my participation in the Assembly, and during this time it has become very obvious to me that Young parliamentarians should be at the very heart of the work of this assembly: channelling the views of young people in our member states. This is not to say that more experienced politicians do not resonate with young people – but, realistically speaking, young people are more likely to speak the same language.
And we have to be aware of this growing disconnect with young people, this disenchantment with mainstream politics which truly must be a wake up call for all of us.
I come from a country which was the second EU country to lower the national voting age to 16, and still remains one of the very few countries to have the voting age from 16 – a decision we are extremely proud of, as we wholeheartedly believe young people should have the power - and the trust - to take important decisions that will impact their future. We've also aligned this with the right of 16 year olds to run for local elections if they wish to so serve in their communities and I'm happy to report we have seen very positive strides in this regard.
United Kingdom, SOC
13:11:08
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
My friend and colleague and a greatly valued member of this Assembly—the late Baroness Doreen Massey—was a passionate advocate of involving young people in the work of this body.
When I first became a member of this Council of Europe in November 2017, Doreen took me under her wing and she became my mentor.
We had much in common in that we were both strongly argued that we had a duty to hand on the values of this Council of Europe to the young of Europe.
The values of upholding human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe.
Why is that so important and why now?
Well, I fear more than anything that the young of Europe today are ignorant of these values.
President, if ever there was a time when the young or Europe needed to be motivated and made aware of the need to defend these principles now is that time.
Doreen Massey was a pioneer in seeking that engagement. I well remember a meeting with young people from schools and colleges in Strasbourg which she promoted.
It was an amazing couple of hours for all of us who took part.
Doreen argued that we should not simply act as tour guides for visiting groups of young people, sharing with them our experiences.
But rather we needed a mechanism to engage with young people, seek their views and ideas. That was her vision, her ambition.
The four points are key:
Establish a mechanism for bringing together members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and young Europeans.
Debating on a regular basis youth policies with the direct participation of youth representatives.
Enhancing the visibility and presence of young parliamentarians.
Supporting engagement of the Assembly’s political groups with their youth branches.
I can think of no greater legacy for Doreen Massey and no greater gift that our generation of members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe can pass on to the young of Europe today than to engage with them.
Enthuse them and encourage them to take up our mantle of upholding human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe.
That is the only way to resist the rule of tyrants, aggressors and the enemies of freedom whose evil actions unfold daily in Ukraine.
The only way to ensure our children, our grandchildren and all future generations of Europe can be free as we today are free.
Canada
13:11:09
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
Honourable colleagues,
I am proud to address this Assembly today as this year marks the 75th anniversary of the Council of Europe and its Parliamentary Assembly.
The values of democracy were firmly anchored in their creation in 1949.
But times change, and with change come new challenges. This Assembly is right to examine democracy through the lens of the 21st century. Today, democracy is under threat, and we need new tools to address this challenge.
The Report prepared by rapporteur Mr George PAPANDREOU notes the need to build participatory and deliberative democracy processes.
He highlights that “merely voting every four or five years is insufficient for citizens to significantly influence decisions made on their behalf.”
As an elected member of Parliament from a rural region, I must underscore that enabling participatory and deliberative democracy requires empowering citizens from rural regions, particularly the youth, to voice their opinions in decision-making processes.
This Report draws attention to the need to return to the basis of our democratic system: engaging with our citizens and providing them with the tools necessary to participate in the decision-making process.
For rural youth, connecting with the government means having access to online tools and the Internet.
Without decent Internet access, participation in consultations is hard to achieve.
This also means ensuring the respect of certain principles in the design and implementation of participatory democracy processes. I would like to emphasise item 9.1.4 calling for “enabled and informed participation.” This requires effective access to information.
The Report also invites “the experimentation of innovative participatory and deliberative methodologies.”
As an example, the Canadian House of Commons innovated with an electronic petition system a few years ago. As you know, the right to petition Parliament is a well-established right in the Westminster parliamentary system. In early 2015, the Standing Orders of the House of Commons were amended to allow this innovative tool. As a result, “roughly 200 e-petitions are open for signature every year and gather over 500 000 signatures annually.”
Colleagues, before concluding, I wish to thank the rapporteur for his great efforts in preparing this Report highlighting the importance of building stronger and resilient democracies.
Andorra, ALDE
13:11:11
Speech not pronounced (Rules of Procedure, Art. 31.2), only available in French.
Ukraine, ALDE
13:11:13
Speech not pronounced (Rules of Procedure, Art. 31.2), only available in French.
France, SOC
13:11:15
Speech not pronounced (Rules of Procedure, Art. 31.2), only available in French.
Switzerland, SOC
13:11:18
Speech not pronounced (Rules of Procedure, Art. 31.2), only available in French.
Sweden, EC/DA, President of the Assembly
12:02:31
Thank you very much.
The debate is now closed.
The Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy has presented the draft Resolution (Document 16001) to which no Amendments have been tabled.
We will now proceed to vote on the draft Resolution contained in Document 16001. A simple majority is required.
The vote is now open.
The vote is closed.
I call for the result to be displayed.
So the draft Resolution in Document 16001 is adopted.
Congratulations.
The Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy has presented a draft Resolution (Document 15871) to which 10 Amendments have been tabled.
I remind you that speeches on amendments are limited to 30 seconds.
Any amendment which has been unanimously approved by the committee seized for report shall not be put to the vote in plenary and shall be declared as definitively approved, unless 10 or more members of the Assembly object.
I understand that the Chairperson of the Committee wishes to propose to the Assembly that Amendments 1 to 10 to the draft Resolution, which were unanimously approved, be declared as approved.
Is that so Mister ZINGERIS?
Lithuania, EPP/CD, Vice-Chairperson of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy
12:04:35
Yes, Mister Chairman.
Unanimously approved – all Amendments, showing unanimous support for this general item making Amendments more precise.
Unanimous support by all the Committee, for all the Amendments.
It's actually a historical vote.
Thank you.