jeudi 1 octobre 2026 après-midi
2026 - Quatrième partie de session Imprimer la séanceVidéo(s) de la séance 1 / 1
Autriche, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
15:36:50
The sitting is open.
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The first item of business this afternoon is the debate on the report titled “The role of the OECD in evaluating the impact of artificial intelligence on the future of work” (Document 16472) presented by Ms Marietta KARAMANLI on behalf of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy.
We will then hear from Ms Saskia KLUIT, who will present an opinion on behalf the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development (Document 16492).
And we will also then hear from Ms Larysa BILOZIR, who will present an opinion on behalf the Committee on Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation (Document 16489).
This will be followed by a statement by Mr Yasushi MASAKI, Deputy Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
This debate will take place under special rules which enable delegations from parliaments of non-European member states of the OECD to participate, and we welcome the participation of our colleagues from Canada and Mexico.
In order to finish by 5:00 p.m., I will interrupt the list of speakers at about 4:50 p.m. to allow time for the reply and the vote.
Before I call Ms Marietta KARAMANLI I also wanted to mention that the topic of artificial intelligence and the impact on the workforce will also be one of the topics we will have at our Conference in Rome with the speakers of parliaments.
So I will now call Ms Marietta KARAMANLI, rapporteur. You have 7 minutes now and 3 minutes at the end to reply to the debate.
Please. The floor is yours.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Mr Deputy Secretary-General, dear Mr Yasushi MASAKI,
Colleagues,
I would like to begin today by presenting this report, which focuses on the activities of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and more specifically on the OECD’s role in assessing the impact of artificial intelligence on the future of work.
I would also like to begin by thanking Mr Yasushi MASAKI for his invaluable presence amongst us, and I look forward to the speech he will deliver in a few minutes’ time. This is a testament to our long-standing cooperation, and I believe that, with this report, we are bringing to a close a cycle of many years of cooperation between our two institutions.
Allow me also to thank the rapporteurs for opinion, Ms Maria-Gabriela HORGA, on behalf of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development, and Ms Larysa BILOZIR, on behalf of the Committee on Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation, for their valuable suggestions to the text.
First of all, allow me to congratulate us all on this wide-ranging debate. The Parliamentary Assembly regularly provides a useful forum for discussing the very important work carried out by the OECD in various fields. Much of this work builds on that of the Council of Europe, and it is essential to maintain this kind of relationship and collaboration between the two organisations.
You are no doubt all aware that many of us are also regularly invited to take part in meetings of the OECD Global Parliamentary Network, which provides us with another important platform for exchanges with parliamentarians from countries not represented in our Parliamentary Assembly. It is therefore also worth noting that this year, within this framework, the first meeting of the OECD Parliamentary Group on Artificial Intelligence was held, in which some of us were able to take part.
I begin with this introduction to explain why I consider this debate to be important, and to express my gratitude to the OECD for the considerable work it is carrying out in the field of AI. This work is impressive, and our first call should be to encourage it to continue along this path.
It also complements very well the work and attention that the Council of Europe devotes to AI, and, once again, we must emphasise the need for these two organisations to collaborate in this regard.
Colleagues, at a time when the digital transformation is gathering pace and artificial intelligence is present in every sector and every aspect of our lives, it is essential that our institutions anticipate its medium- and long-term effects on society, the economy and the labour market. The geopolitical and environmental implications for Europe should also be treated as a top priority.
The draft resolution sets out several key recommendations in this regard.
Firstly, it calls on the member states of the Council of Europe and the OECD to adopt coherent national strategies on AI and digital transformation, based on human rights, social inclusion and environmental sustainability.
It also emphasises the need to implement monitoring mechanisms to assess the impact of AI on productivity, wages, skills, equality, intellectual property and regional development.
The resolution also recommends promoting the responsible and open integration of AI, prioritising investment in skills, connectivity and digital infrastructure.
It is also proposed to support reskilling and training policies to facilitate career transitions and the redeployment of the workforce, particularly in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the sectors most at risk.
The resolution also considers in-depth social dialogue and the effective participation of workers, trade unions and employers to be essential, in order to ensure the reliable adoption of AI in the labour market and the effective protection of labour rights.
It also emphasises transparency, clarity and accountability in the deployment of AI systems, thereby ensuring human oversight and accessible redress mechanisms for all employees. It is therefore necessary to analyse its actual effects on workers’ autonomy, the intensity and duration of working time, pay, health, discrimination, access to training and the quality of employment.
In the field of education, the text calls on member states to invest in lifelong learning in digital and AI skills, whilst ensuring the inclusion of all groups: women, young people, older people, people with disabilities and residents of vulnerable regions. AI in education should be used to foster critical thinking, independent thought and a human-centred approach to teaching.
With regard to public authorities, the resolution also calls for support to be provided to all administrations, at both national and local levels, to prepare for the advent of AI through strategic planning of staffing, skills and activities. The text also recommends ensuring that the use of AI in public administration remains based on merit, transparency and human oversight, and it emphasises the need to strengthen training for public servants and to ensure that AI is harnessed to deliver an effective, equitable and reliable public service.
The OECD will therefore play a decisive role. Through its data, indicators and comparative tools, it can help parliaments and governments move from an abstract debate on artificial intelligence to a concrete assessment of its implications. That is why the report encourages the OECD to develop, together with the Council of Europe, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the social partners and relevant bodies, a common framework and an international scorecard on the effects of AI in the workplace.
Finally, the digital transition can only be successful if it is fully integrated with the ecological transition: artificial intelligence technologies consume large amounts of energy, water and material resources, and their roll-out must therefore be accompanied by requirements for transparency, moderation and environmental efficiency.
These warnings must be taken seriously, whilst bearing in mind that they also serve the interests of very large companies: they promote their business models, call for regulation that favours established players and divert attention from the current damage – particularly environmental damage – which we had the opportunity to discuss this morning.
I would like to point out here, Madam President, that the various amendments that have been tabled enhance this report and resolution put forward by the committees – on which I gave a favourable opinion – and which ultimately enable us to better safeguard the use of artificial intelligence in the workplace, and which therefore deserve to be accepted and voted on later today.
Thank you for your attention; I shall have the opportunity to return to this matter later.
Thank you.
Autriche, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
15:47:03
Thank you.
You will have 2 minutes and 15 seconds left to reply at the very end.
I now call Ms Saskia KLUIT for the opinion of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development. You have 3 minutes.
Pays-Bas, SOC, Rapporteure pour avis
15:47:19
Thank you very much, Chair.
Dear colleagues,
AI technology is like a knife. It can do good things, but it can also harm people. The opinion of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development welcomes the timely report by Ms Marietta KARAMANLI that focuses on risks arising from AI use in employment. Considering how AI affects the organisation of work, we believe that AI should serve people rather than undermine labour and human rights standards.
Our member states need safeguards for the responsible design and use of AI in employment to protect human dignity, safety, occupational health and well-being. The opinion reviews significant socio-economic risks arising from rapid integration of AI into workplaces. AI may replace many existing jobs, leaving smaller enterprises and individual workers more vulnerable to technological disruption.
There are also risks to job quality, equality, privacy and workers rights. Algorithmic management can affect the allocation of work, performance monitoring and decisions on recruitment, promotion or dismissal. And is already doing so, potentially creating a dehumanised and intrusive working environment. AI systems may also reproduce or amplify discrimination, while opaque decision making makes it more difficult for employees to understand challenges or appeal outcomes.
Responsibility for harmful decisions may be dispersed among employers, software providers and users, complicating legal accountability and access to justice. AI will affect employees' mental health. While AI may also lower stress and relieve workloads, constant monitoring, algorithmic management, fears about job security, reduced autonomy and pressure on skills may lead to anxiety, burnout, inadequacy or isolation.
Workers should be consulted about the use of AI, get proper training and support and know how systems are used. Crucially, AI should complement, not replace, human judgment and workplace relationships. We therefore call for stronger liability and regulations of businesses developing and using AI in employment, with amendments that ask to apply the Framework Convention on AI to business entities operating within member states in line with the international social benchmarks and national labour laws.
Secondly, to use safeguards against fully automated employment decisions, including qualified human interaction and intervention, comprehensible explanations for affected individuals and effective legal remedies.
And thirdly, to consider an international treaty to prohibit the development of artificial superintelligence until suitable control mechanisms can guarantee its safe use and continued human supervision.
Thank you very much.
Autriche, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
15:50:21
I thank you very much. And now I call for the next opinion, which will be presented by Ms Larysa BILOZIR on behalf of the Committee on Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation. You have 3 minutes.
Ukraine, ADLE, Rapporteure pour avis
15:50:38
Dear colleagues,
Distinguished guests,
As the rapporteur on opinion on behalf of the Committee on Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation, I warmly congratulate Ms Marietta KARAMANLI on her balanced report. Together, we took active part in a newly created parliamentary group in the OECD in Paris, representing our Assembly.
Our Committee on Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation fully shares its central message: the AI transition must be human-based, human-centred and rights-based.
Our opinion has one simple purpose: to ensure that the draft resolution doesn't overlook the millions of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers and foreign workers in our member states. They are among the most exposed to the risk of AI at work. AI tools can offer real benefits. We talked about this today. It's faster procedures, better access to information, and more targeted services. Efficiency, however, cannot be the only benchmark. If AI is introduced without proper safeguards, it can also reproduce discrimination, weaken privacy and data protection and affect decisions that may have various serious consequences for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, in terms of access to protection, in terms of fair treatment and trust in our public institutions.
Last October, as you remember, the Assembly adopted the resolution and recommendation on artificial intelligence and migration. Our opinion brings that work into this text, so that the Assembly speaks with one consistent voice. We must bear in mind the inequalities among workers. Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers face sometimes greater risks, as I said, risks of exclusion and discrimination when AI tools are used without adequate safeguards, without human oversight. It considers the recruitment, identity verification, skill-matching, and decisions on residence or work permits. We must therefore make sure that where AI-based tools are used, we use adequate safeguards.
For a migrant worker, an automated decision can determine not only a job, but their possibilities to stay and to work in the country. And when the stakes are so high, these tools must be subject to meaningful human oversight, regularly audited for discriminatory bias. Where AI-based tools are used, we have to use adequate safeguards. And for a migrant worker, an automated decision can determine their work, and it's very important. Moreover, migrants are refugees, and refugees are too often confined to low-quality, precarious jobs, no matter their qualification.
So let me conclude. The future of work must be a future of dignity for every one of us. Artificial intelligence can help us build fairer and more inclusive labour markets. But only if human dignity remains at the centre of every system we design and every decision we make.
I therefore invite you to support this resolution.
Autriche, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
15:54:07
Thank you very much.
I now have the pleasure of welcoming Mr Yasushi MASAKI, Deputy Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Mr Yasushi MASAKI, you have the floor.
Secrétaire général adjoint de l’Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques (OCDE)
15:54:29
Dear President Petra BARY,
Vice-Chair and rapporteur Ms Marietta KARAMANLI,
Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe,
Thank you for the opportunity to discuss the role of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in evaluating the impact of artificial intelligence on the future of work, as set out in the report before you today.
Let me thank Ms Marietta KARAMANLI for a comprehensive and forward-looking report and for her close engagement with OECD colleagues during its preparation. The OECD and the Council of Europe share an enduring commitment to freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is a valued partner to the OECD's own global parliamentary network.
Among our shared priorities, nowhere is our co-operation more important than on artificial intelligence. The Parliamentary Assembly has led the way, including through your Sub-Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights. The Council of Europe takes part in the OECD's work on AI governance as an observer, and our experts have worked closely with members of this Assembly on the report before you.
In 2019, the OECD adopted the first intergovernmental standard on AI, the OECD AI Principles. Updated in 2024, they promote AI that is innovative and trustworthy and that respects human rights and democratic values. In 2024, the Council of Europe opened for signature its Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, which was the first international legally binding treaty in this field. Our instruments are complementary. The Convention sets legal obligations, the OECD provides evidence, the policy tools and the platform for countries to learn from each other.
As the report notes, AI is already changing how people learn, work and interact. But AI alone will not decide whether these changes are for the better. That will depend on the choices made by governments, businesses, workers and parliaments. The OECD's role is to make sure those choices are grounded in evidence. In practice, this means helping governments see clearly what is happening today and what may come next.
Our AI Policy Observatory tracks AI policies in more than 90 jurisdictions. Our AI Incidents and Hazards Monitor follows AI risks as they emerge. Our new AI Capability Indicators compare what AI system can do with core human abilities and our voluntary reporting framework, developed to support the G7 Hiroshima AI Reporting Process, helps companies developing advanced AI system reports on how they manage risk. A revised version was launched in May this year.
Allow me now to turn to five key messages from the report on the impact of AI on the future of work, drawing on our latest evidence.
First, AI can help revive productivity growth, but only if it is widely adopted. Productivity growth in OECD countries has slowed from an average of 1.5% a year in the 2000s to around 0.5% in recent years. OECD estimates suggest that AI could add on average between 0.4 and 1.2 percentage points to annual labour productivity growth over the next decade. But these gains are not guaranteed. They depend on how quickly and how widely AI is adopted. And today, adoption is uneven. The share of small businesses using AI more than doubled between 2023 and 2024, from 7% to 17%. Over the same period, AI use among large firms rose to 52%. The gap is widening. Adoption also varies greatly across regions, even within the same country and the same sector. Capital regions and innovation hubs are moving ahead, while others risk being left behind.
The report highlights the need for better data on these regional dimensions. Our new surveys of individuals in 62 economies and of firms and workers in 14 OECD countries will provide the first results later this year and help close these evidence gaps. Measuring this divide is only the first step to help small firms and regions that are falling behind catch up. Governments need to support skills, finance, connectivity and access to computing and data. Under this year's French G7 presidency, the OECD has developed a pilot AI readiness tool to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) assess where they stand and find the public support available to them.
This brings me to the second key message. AI has not reduced overall employment so far, but it's changing jobs and workers are concerned. Employment rates across the OECD remain very high, at 70% on average in 2025, compared with 64% a decade ago. Preliminary findings from our new survey show that only 10% of firms adopting AI reduced their stock in the previous year, and 78% of workers in finance and manufacturing say AI has improved their performance. But this is not the whole picture. Occupations with the highest risk of being automated still account for around 27% of employment, and three in five workers in these sectors worry about losing their jobs to AI within 10 years.
The report also points to the rise of algorithmic management. The OECD's employer survey of more than 6 000 managers found that 79% of firms in European countries already use at least one such tool, and it was 90% in the United States. Many managers see benefits, but two in three have at least one concern. They worry about unclear accountability, decisions they can't follow, or the protections of workers' health. The lesson is clear: where AI affects hiring, performance or access to training, there must be transparency, explainability and clear human accountability. And as the report stresses, social dialogue is essential.
Whether AI creates or destroys jobs is not decided by the technologies but by how firms and workers choose to use it. The creative sector deserves special attention. More than 80% of tasks in these occupations can be performed at least 50% faster with AI, compared with 44% across all occupations. This requires new skills and fair rules on intellectual property and remuneration. The report is right to address both.
The third key message concerns skills and education. Skills will decide who benefits from AI and who is left behind. Lack of skills is one of the main barriers to AI adoption. Between 44% and 50% of SMEs surveyed from 31 OECD countries say it holds them back. Training, however, makes a real difference. 88% of workers trained in AI report better performance, compared with 69% of those who were not. Yet only 24% of SMEs using generative AI say their employees take part in AI-related training. And only 20% of adults with low education participate, compared with 50% of those with education. In other words, those who need training most are the least likely to receive it. Closing this gap means learning what works. That is why, in support of the French G7 presidency, the OECD is building an AI training hub to help countries share their experiences on AI skills.
Most workers will not need to become AI experts. They will need AI literacy, digital skills, problem-solving, creativity and the ability to judge and interpret what AI produced. But building these skills cannot wait until people enter the workforce. It starts at school. Our latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results show that 46% of 15-year-olds already use AI chatbots at least weekly to support their learning. But better performance is not always better learning. In one study of around 1 000 secondary school students, those who practised maths with generative AI tools did better while they had it. But once access was removed they scored 17% lower lower on exams than students who had never used it. That is why AI literacy must build on and not replace strong foundations in reading, mathematics and critical thinking. With the European Commission, the OECD has developed an AI Literacy Framework for primary and secondary education. And the PISA will assess students' AI literacy for the first time in 2029.
The most key message of the report is about inclusion. The benefits of AI must be shared by all, whatever their gender, age, ability or where they live. Women today have less access to AI tools at work. In finance and manufacturing, 67% of men were AI users, compared with 32% of women. Our evidence suggests this is often about how firms organise access. When premium AI licences go mainly to senior roles, where women remain under-represented, they can miss out. And when part time workers, most of whom are women, have fewer training opportunities, the gap grows wider. The good news is that when AI tools are made available to everyone in the firm, and learning time is protected, the gender gap largely disappears.
AI also creates new risks. Deepfake imagery overwhelming targets women and particularly women in public life. As the Istanbul Convention marks its 15th anniversary and the Monaco presidency makes combating violence against women a priority, the OECD is mapping how countries respond to technology facilitates gender-based violence to help them act more effectively. At the same time, AI can open new opportunities for people with disabilities. Age matters, too. Young people in entry-level jobs and older workers may need additional support to adapt.
And finally, the fifth key message of the report concerns government itself. AI can help governments serve people better, but only if people trust how it is used. Almost every OECD country now uses AI in government. Half of public employment services were already using AI in 2023, most often to match job seekers with vacancies. Yet, according to our 2025 Survey on Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions, only around four in ten people across 33 countries view the use of AI by government positively. And only 28% of countries measure the impact of their AI projects, which helps explain why so many projects never move beyond the pilot stage. The OECD Framework for Trustworthy AI in Government helps countries put the right enablers, guardrails and public engagement in place. Here, the oversight role of Parliament is essential.
In closing, the report asked the OECD to deepen its work on measuring the impacts of AI on jobs, on regions and on the quality of work. We welcome this call and we will continue to build our evidence based on close co-operation with the Council of Europe. We will also continue to share our evidence with legislators, including through the OECD Global Parliamentary Network and its Group on Artificial Intelligence.
AI is a shared challenge and it demands shared solutions. The Council of Europe and this Assembly bring a valuable perspective grounded in human rights and democratic values. The OECD brings evidence, standards and practical tools. We look forward to continuing to work together to help AI raise productivity and living standards, to give people the skills to thrive in a changing world of work, to ensure the benefits of AI are widely shared and its risks are well managed, and ultimately to support better policies for better lives in Europe and beyond.
Thank you very much for your attention.
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:10:02
Thank you very much, Mr Yasushi MASAKI, for your address.
And I'll now remind the Assembly that the speaking time now is limited to 3 minutes for the spokespersons from the political groups and 2 minutes for all other members.
And I will now call the speakers from the political groups. The first is Mr Berdan ÖZTÜRK from the Group of the Unified European Left. You have the floor.
Türkiye, GUE, Porte-parole du groupe
16:10:28
Thank you Mister Chair.
We thank the rapporteur for placing the social consequences of artificial intelligence before this Assembly.
The decisive question is who owns this technology, who controls its use and who receives the wealth it helps produce.
Artificial intelligence draws on generations of scientific knowledge, publicly funded research and the work and creativity of millions. Yet its benefits are increasingly captured by corporations whose decisions shape our working lives without democratic accountability.
This contradiction between collective creation and private appropriation must be confronted.
If ownership remains concentrated while workers bear the costs of displacement and insecurity, technological progress will reinforce the power of capital over labour.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) must therefore measure more than productivity. It must examine wages, working time, job security, bargaining power and how gains are distributed between labour and capital. Workers and trade unions must help define that assessment.
We should use productivity gains to reduce working hours without reducing pay, moving towards a shorter working week and sharing available work. Higher output must translate into higher wages, stronger public services and more time to live.
Workers need binding, collective bargaining rights over the introduction of AI, protection against intrusive surveillance, and meaningful human review of decisions affecting their livelihoods. Training must be paid and provided during working hours, with income protection through employment transitions.
But regulation alone cannot resolve the concentration of economic power.
We must advance social ownership of the dominant AI corporations and essential digital infrastructure, through public and cooperative forms of ownership under democratic control. Workers and society must have real decision-making power over their development and use.
Public investment should create public assets and shared benefits, rather than subsidise private monopolies. The OECD should assess how AI-driven productivity gains are distributed, and whether they improve wages, reduce working time and strengthen social protection, or primarily increase corporate profits.
For the Council of Europe, the European Social Charter must guide this transformation. Rights to fair remuneration, collective bargaining and social security cannot be subordinated to corporate strategies.
Thank you.
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:13:43
Thank you.
And I now call the next speaker from the Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group, Mr Titus CORLĂŢEAN.
And you have the floor, Titus.
Roumanie, SOC, Porte-parole du groupe
16:13:54
President and colleagues,
First of all, on behalf of the Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group, I would like to welcome the fact that our Assembly has maintained this positive dynamic to organise every two years, within this enlarged Assembly, this debate on the substance of our co-operation with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
And I myself also want to welcome the presence of the Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD and the participation of the member states of the other organisations which are not members of our organisation, debating the substance of our partnership and focusing this time on one of the most topical priorities for both organisations: artificial intelligence.
I want, on the other hand, to congratulate our rapporteur, Ms Marietta KARAMANLI.
Roumanie, SOC, Porte-parole du groupe
16:14:40
Congratulations to Ms Marietta KARAMANLI on this excellent report, which we shall support on behalf of the Group of Socialists, Democrats and Greens (SOC).
We will support the adoption of this resolution as amended by the entirely appropriate amendments tabled by the Committee on Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation and the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development.
Roumanie, SOC, Porte-parole du groupe
16:14:55
The Council of Europe and also our political group values and appreciates our partnership with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
And I want to just highlight the fact that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe attends the Global Parliamentary Network every spring in Paris. I'm also part of this network and we value this common contribution.
This topic, the use of artificial intelligence and the impact on the future of work, is also a key topic for the Council of Europe. And I just want to remind colleagues that it is the Council of Europe that adopted the first ever international treaty concerning artificial intelligence — it's true — in our domain of competency, that means the impact on human dignity, human rights, rule of law and democracy. And here I want to mention the fact that the report emphasised correctly both the huge opportunities for technological development, but also the risk and the challenges that can come from the abusive use of artificial intelligence.
Here I just want to very quickly mention the following domains: the labour market and the issue of employment; social rights, things which are important; the European Social Charter, one of the most important "acquis" of the Council of Europe; the impact on working women, because here it might be a problem of discrimination; the need for social dialogue between the workers and trade unions; the need to assure better equipment with knowledge, critical thinking skills for students and workers; the issues of people with disabilities; copyright and intellectual property; and also the fact that there are important topics related to education and training capabilities and the impact on the environment.
Here, we need to take action because Europe today is not in the best place when seeing the extraordinary competition where the United States and China are better placed.
And finally, last but not least, we will support the recommendations of the rapporteur, including asking member states to to sign and ratify our Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, and especially those member states which are also members of the European Union, that, for reasons that we know, are blocked currently and are not yet ratifying.
Let's ratify the Convention.
Thank you so much.
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:17:32
And I now call on Mr Marko PAVIĆ from the Group of the European People's Party. You have the floor.
Croatie, PPE/DC, Porte-parole du groupe
16:17:39
Thank you very much.
Dear Chair, dear colleagues,
On behalf of the Group of the European People's Party, I would like to express our strong support for this report and for the work of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on artificial intelligence. I welcome also the Deputy Secretary-General.
Artificial intelligence is changing the paradigm of how the labour market changes increasingly. And also it questions the economic model on which our societies operate.
I also speak here as the former Croatian Minister of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy. In only a decade, Croatia has moved from high unemployment to a situation characterised by strong employment, labour shortages and historically low unemployment.
The Council of Europe brought the Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and human rights, democracy and the rule of law, that protects human rights. The EU brought the Artificial Intelligence Act that deals with technology. But what my experience also teaches me is that labour markets can change much faster than institutions, education systems and legislation expect. AI will accelerate this lesson dramatically.
This is why I particularly welcome the balanced approach of the report. It neither presents AI as a threat that should be resisted, nor as a technology that that will automatically solve our economic problems. The OECD evidence shows that AI can deliver substantial productivity gains, but their scale depends on various parts of the adoption. The report rightly stressed that technology alone does not decide whether jobs are created or destroyed; institutions, companies, workers and public policy will shape the outcome.
The labour market figures illustrate the scale of the challenge. According to the report, occupations with the highest risks of automatisation account for on average 27%.
For the Group of the European People's Party, this human-centred approach is essential. AI should free people from repetitive, physical, demanding and low-value tasks, increase productivity and improve workspace. That is why we support the strong stress on these skills. We had the European Year of Skills and this report is particularly strong. And I personally also, as a former minister, advocated that upskilling should be a new level of human rights that we need to protect.
A second major concern is European competitiveness and sovereignty. The support is clear that Europe is behind the United States and China. But competitiveness and fundamental rights are not alternatives. Europe should be ambitious and innovative while remaining faithful to its model of democracy. Finally, we should remember that AI is not taking place in isolation from the green transition. Computing infrastructure, advanced models and data centres require significant amounts of electricity, water and critical materials. Europe therefore needs an approach in which digital competence, energy security and environmental sustainability reinforce one another.
Thank you very much.
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:20:54
Thank you.
And the next speaker is Mr Oleksii GONCHARENKO from the European Conservatives, Patriots & Affiliates. You have the floor.
Ukraine, CEPA, Porte-parole du groupe
16:21:06
Thank you.
We are discussing artificial intelligence (AI) here in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. And we should discuss it saying "alarm", because really, alarm.
Once again, dear friends, Europe is completely, completely falling behind in artificial intelligence. It's absolutely shocking numbers. The European Union holds about 5% of the world's AI computing power compared to 74% of the United States and 14% of China.
In 2024, the United States institutions produced 40 notable AI models, China 15 and Europe three. Three! 5%, this is our share of the future now. And that's something which should be changed immediately. We're already so far away from United States and China that we soon will not have a chance even to see them, even from the top of Mont Blanc, you know.
So we need to be back in this race. And this is the number one topic today. Why does it matter? I will tell you. It's not just about economics. It's not just about salaries and compatibility of economics. No. On 6 July, in Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia, there was the first documented case of Russian autonomous AI-targeting system killing civilians. No people, no pilot, no consciousness, nothing. Just pure killing and destruction. So Russia is also here on this way, but in the Russian way, just to kill and to destruct.
And what they're testing today on Ukrainian streets, tomorrow they will use on the streets of all your countries. Don't be blind. Don't think it will go away somewhere. No, that will come to your streets also.
And the only thing we can do today is to be competitive. We need to work. We need to work hard. We need to be back in this race. We need to take Europe ahead in this race, which will define, not just how wealthy we will live tomorrow, but in general, will we live tomorrow? Or will Europe just be in some textbooks of history, which will be written not by Europeans anymore.
So this is really alarm. And this is a time to change things completely.
Thank you.
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:23:44
Thank you.
And now I call on Mr Régis BERGONZI from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe. You have the floor.
Monaco, ADLE, Porte-parole du groupe
16:23:55
Madam President,
Dear colleagues,
On behalf of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), I would like to thank Ms Marietta KARAMANLI for her report and Mr Yasushi MASAKI for being here today.
Whether we welcome it or are concerned about it, artificial intelligence is already present in our offices, our public administrations and our practices. With generative AI and, now, agents capable of carrying out complex tasks independently, it is no longer just the tools that are changing. It is professions, organisations and decision-making processes that are evolving.
Faced with this, there are two equally dangerous temptations: paralysing doom-mongering and uncritical enthusiasm that leaves us defenceless.
We advocate a third way: legislating on the basis of facts. This is precisely what the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) enables. In 2023, it estimated that the occupations most at risk of automation accounted for an average of 27% of jobs in the countries studied. Last July, these employment outlooks showed that AI is already reshaping labour markets, region by region, even though its role in the recent difficulties faced by young people remains limited.
These two observations do not contradict each other. They tell us that time to prepare and adapt is running out. The OECD is not a legislator, but since May 2019, its principles on AI – revised in May 2024 – have constituted the first intergovernmental standard in this field. Inclusive growth, respect for human rights and the rule of law, transparency, robustness, accountability. Its authority stems from the quality of this data, not from coercion.
We must harness this authority. Firstly, because at a time when the race for AI is taking on a geopolitical dimension, governments need multilateral expertise, based on data that is comparable across countries, and not simply on projections from companies in the sector.
Secondly, because the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, open for signature in 2024, addresses areas beyond the OECD’s remit, namely legal obligations grounded in human rights, and these obligations must be underpinned by robust assessments and data.
We therefore support this report. We call for the ratification of the Framework Convention and emphasise that the assessment requires comparable data published at regular intervals and close cooperation between the OECD, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Council of Europe.
AI alone will not determine the future of work. It is our choices that will do so. Let us ensure that this future is based on facts.
Thank you.
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:27:03
Thank you very much.
And I now remind you that the speaking time is 2 minutes.
And I call on Ms Edite ESTRELA to speak. You have the floor.
Dear President,
Dear colleagues,
We are discussing today the impact of AI on the future of work. But we should ask: what happens when AI becomes so powerful that human beings can no longer fully understand, predict or control its decisions? Recent experiences have shown that AI systems can produce behaviours that conflict with human instructions. Some experts warn about extreme scenarios, including the possibility of losing control. We can lose control when workers are assessed by algorithms they cannot challenge, when citizens receive automated decisions they cannot understand, when public authorities rely on systems whose recommendations nobody feels able to question or when human beings simply start saying: "The algorithm knows better."
Dear colleagues,
We must ask: who controls those who control the technology?
AI is increasingly concentrated in the hands of a small number of powerful technology companies. Their decisions can affect our labour markets and our democracies. We need effective regulation, transparency, accountability and strong democratic oversight of these companies. These companies must have clear responsibilities, especially when their systems interact with children and other vulnerable users. And responsibility cannot come only after tragedy. We need safeguards before harm occurs, independent evaluation of high-risk systems, meaningful human oversight and effective remedies when things go wrong.
This is where the Council of Europe has a unique responsibility.
Our Framework Convention on AI, Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law establishes a clear principle: technological progress must remain compatible with human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
The more powerful our technology becomes, the stronger our democratic safeguards must be.
Thank you.
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:29:49
Thank you.
And the next speaker is Mr Christophe LACROIX. You have the floor, Christophe.
Thank you, Mr President.
A question. Will artificial intelligence (AI) take your job away from you?
Personally, I think you’re being told two different stories. The first: robots are coming and millions of jobs will disappear. The second: AI will sort everything out, as if by magic. I believe both are wrong. Look at history. The steam engine, electricity, computing… None of them has made human labour disappear. All of them have profoundly transformed it. But whenever the benefits of progress have remained in the hands of a select few, society has become divided. And entire families have been left by the wayside.
Yes, artificial intelligence can help us. It can relieve us of the most arduous tasks and create new jobs. But it can also monitor your every move at work. It can make decisions for you, without anyone knowing why. It can replace you, without even asking for your opinion.
In the face of this, fine promises are not enough. Your rights must not depend on the goodwill of the tech giants. We need rules – and very clear ones at that. Rules debated by everyone. And rules that apply to everyone.
And then there is a very simple question of justice. If AI generates enormous wealth, where does that money go? Into the pockets of a handful of shareholders or a few billionaires? Or into your wages, into the time freed up for you to live your life? Into our social security system? None of this will happen without you. Workers must be at the table when we draw up the rules for the future of work. Artificial intelligence is a tool. Not a destiny.
It is up to us to ensure that it serves humanity, our dignity and our shared future.
Thank you.
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:32:01
Thank you.
And the next speaker is Mr Christophe BRICO. You have the floor.
Who is not here. Okay.
Then we move on to Mr Angelo IACONO. You have the floor, Angelo.
Dear colleagues,
I would like to thank the rapporteur for her work in creating this report on such an important and timely issue.
My brief intervention today will deal with artificial intelligence (AI) and the future of work.
While the report concludes that it is still too early to estimate the impact of AI on the labour market and on workers, it notes that this impact will need to be mitigated by both job creation and job losses, while potentially transforming work more broadly.
In Canada, the adoption of AI has not led to any changes in employment levels for almost nine out of ten businesses that used it in 2025, although it has led to changes in work methods for the businesses that adopted it.
Canada is well positioned to capitalise on this transformation of the labour market. Our country has a global reputation for excellence in research and talent in AI. Canada has world-class research institutes, like Mila, Amii and Vector, as well as many leading researchers.
We need to build on this expertise while ensuring that the adoption of AI benefits Canadians and our partners and that related risks are considered.
It is with this in mind that the Government of Canada launched, in June, Canada's National AI Strategy: AI for All. One of its pillars is to establish reliable global partnerships and alliances because it is by working together that we can maximise the benefits of AI, improve risk management and ensure that this transformation benefits the largest number of people.
In closing, AI represents both great opportunities and great challenges for the future of work.
I encourage the Assembly to remain vigilant while continuing to promote innovation, dialogue and co-operation.
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:34:29
Thank you.
The next speaker is Ms Irene CHARALAMBIDES. You have the floor.
Ms Marietta KARAMANLI,
Thank you for a well-balanced report.
Every debate on artificial intelligence and work comes back to the same questions:
Will AI destroy more jobs than it creates?
Who captures the productivity gains, the few companies that own the technology or the people whose work makes it valuable?
Will this transformation narrow the inequalities in our societies or deepen them?
These are not technical questions. They are political choices. And they belong to us.
Artificial intelligence is transforming our economies and our workplaces. We are not here to decide whether to stop that. We should not, and we could not if we tried. The real question is whether technological progress becomes progress for people. This is where the OECD's work matters.
Its empirical analysis, rightly highlighted in this report, gives us the clearest picture we have of what is actually happening in labour markets. The numbers are documented. Almost 40% of global employment is exposed to AI. In advanced economies, that figure rises to around 60%. But exposure is not replacement. The evidence does not show an overall decline in employment because of AI. In fact, highly exposed occupations can gain from it through productivity and complementarity with human skills.
So let us be precise about what this calls for: not fear, but responsibility. AI must never become a way of removing human responsibility from decisions that affect people's livelihoods. Our objective is simple: AI should augment human capability, not diminish human dignity. The OECD can measure the transformation underway. It is our task in the Council of Europe to make sure that in managing it, we do not lose sight of the human being at its centre.
Thank you.
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:36:58
Thank you.
And the next speaker is Mr Tony VAUGHAN. You have the floor.
Chair,
Artificial intelligence will not just change the future of work, it will change the geography of opportunity. If we do not understand where those changes are happening, which sectors are affected and whether local people are being equipped to benefit, policy makers will be acting too late.
I commend the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for the work it's doing to evaluate AI's impact on our labour markets. As we've heard, its modelling in 2025 estimated that AI could add up to 1.3% to annual labour productivity growth over the coming decade. And that productivity matters, particularly after the weak productivity growth experienced since the global financial crisis.
AI is especially capable in information processing and administrative work. It's less capable in roles that depend on contextual judgement, interpersonal understanding and complex decision-making, which means that its effects will differ sharply by sector and, importantly, by place.
The OECD can make an important contribution by helping us to distinguish between AI exposure, where technology can support people to do tasks more productively, and actual job displacement, where jobs are genuinely at risk of disappearing. I would encourage the OECD to improve the granularity of of its data gathering. We need stronger evidence connecting local labour markets with local educational and skills institutions.
In my own constituency of Folkestone and Hythe in the United Kingdom, East Kent College's group, alongside local education, employers and other institutions, have a vital role in helping people gain the technical, digital and transferable skills needed for our changing economy. And so better data, in co-operation with national governments would help institutions like these be better placed to plan provision ahead of demand. Britain, like many of our societies, learned painful lessons from the failure to plan for deindustrialisation. And we cannot repeat that mistake in the case of AI.
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:39:05
Thank you.
And I now call on Ms Ivanka VASILEVSKA. You have the floor.
Thank you, Mister Chair.
Digital transformation is no longer simply a question of technological modernisation. It is becoming a question of how states govern, how economies compete, how citizens access public services and, increasingly, how people work. For my country, this transformation represents both a development opportunity and an institutional challenge: to ensure that technological progress strengthens the capacity of the state without leaving citizens, workers or businesses behind.
The foundations of digital transformation already exist within the Macedonian public sector. Digital public services, interoperability between institutions, electronic identification, data exchange and digital registries can significantly reduce administrative burdens and make public institutions more responsive. Yet the central challenge is no longer simply to digitalise individual services. It is to connect them into a coherent, citizen-centred digital system in which data can be securely shared, institutions can co-operate, and public services can become genuinely simpler and more accessible. The OECD's assessment of public administration precisely identifies this gap between existing digital building blocks and their full institutional use.
Artificial intelligence introduces a new dimension to this transformation. It has the potential to increase productivity, improve public services, support decision making and change the nature of many professions. At the same time, it raises fundamental questions about employment, privacy, transparency, discrimination, accountability and the distribution of the benefits of technological progress.
This is where the role of the OECD becomes particularly important.
For my country, this perspective is highly relevant. The question should not be whether artificial intelligence will transform the labour market. It will. The more important question is whether our institutions, education system and economy will be prepared to manage that transformation.
Thank you very much.
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:41:35
Thank you.
And the next speaker is Baroness Thérèse COFFEY. You have the floor.
"Computer says no". It's used as a regular phrase in the comedy Little Britain, but it's really a mindset regularly experienced by too many in all walks of life. Now, this isn't just about sorting the frustrations of bureaucracy, or indeed, a computer saying no collapses and paralyses the flight network in the United Kingdom (UK). But right now, I think we have to be very clear that humans have to be in control, including in the world of work on which this report focuses.
I commend the rapporteur, Ms Marietta KARAMANLI, on her work leading on scrutiny of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and producing this resolution which we are debating today. Unsurprisingly, it's wide ranging, though the key element for me is to make sure that computers do not override, do not exclude humans from being fully involved in interactions with other human beings when making decisions affecting other human beings. we absolutely cannot hand over those decisions to computers.
I also welcome the proactive approach of considering skills needed to transition to this world. I'm pleased it recognises AI is here and evolving and has not adopted a Luddite approach. We must use AI, as the OECD recognises, to improve productivity and economic growth. And we have to be realistic that we may need fewer people in existing roles. We've already seen that over the years with automation, computerisation and robotics. However, we absolutely will always need human beings, including in some of the skills that a robot powered by AI will never replace. And that is in deploying humanity itself.
Recent reports on the safety of AI are concerning. People will only fully embrace and accept AI if they believe it is safe to do so. And why, after the UK signing the Council of Europe AI Treaty in 2024, I have tabled a question in the UK Parliament to ask when we will ratify it. I was surprised that less than a month ago the UK government rejected proposals for a statutory emergency kill switch to shut down rogue or dangerous artificial intelligence models, stating that Britain cannot simply turn off AI. Meanwhile, the President of China said, importantly, humans always have to be in control.
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:43:54
And I now call on the next speaker, Mr István GYÖNGYÖSI. You have the floor.
Thank you, Chair.
Dear President,
Dear colleagues,
[Speaks Hungarian], but what does it mean?
"I am Hungarian, I am Roma, and I am proud to represent Hungary here today."
I know from my own life that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Coming from a small village of just 800 people, I could hardly have imagined standing here today at just 27 years old.
Allow me to ask a personal question: when does technology represent real progress? When it speeds everything up in the laboratory of an elite university, or when it gives a child in a small Hungarian village a chance they would otherwise never have?
For 16 years, Hungary lacked a clear vision and ambition for innovation. Since April, we have begun a new chapter. I welcome greater openness to AI, as does the Hungarian government.
AI is personal: it must widen opportunities. I support human-centred AI benefiting everyone through productivity and better working conditions.
The OECD should compare training access and employment outcomes. Employees must be able to understand and challenge decisions affecting their livelihoods. Recruitment, pay and dismissal require meaningful human review and effective remedies, not solely automated decisions. Paragraph 7's urban-rural divide must not deepen educational inequality. Learners need critical judgment. Partnerships between educators, employers and workers' representatives must include small businesses and rural communities.
One chance can change a life. That is why I'm saying that.
This is about much more than political parties. It is about opportunities, chances, possibilities for the next generation.
I ask for your support for Hungary as we move forward. Let us share knowledge, help one another and ensure that every community benefits.
I support this draft resolution.
Thank you.
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:46:11
Thank you.
And the next speaker is Mr Mehmet AKALIN. You have the floor.
Thank you Mister Chair,
Dear colleagues,
Firstly I would like to thank our rapporteur for this important and well-balanced report.
As someone who has spent many years in education, I particularly welcome this joint initiative in terms of education. Our young people must not simply learn how to use AI. They must understand it, question it and use it critically and responsibly. As AI transforms the labour market, our education system must also adapt. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has an important role in helping countries strengthen AI and digital literacy, develop critical thinking, update curricula and crucially, invest in teacher training.
The introduction of AI literacy into the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in 2029 will help countries understand how well prepared their young people are and where greater support is needed. But we must also ensure equality of opportunity. Access to AI must not depend on where a student lives or the financial resources of their school. Teachers and students need appropriate technology, infrastructure and training.
Finally, we need clear safeguards. Teachers, students and parents should know when AI is being used, what data is being collected and how that data is used. AI should support teachers, not become a means of excessive monitoring or unfair assessments. The OECD can provide vital leadership by promoting clear standards on transparency, privacy, fairness and accountability. AI offers extraordinary opportunities for education. Our responsibility is to ensure that it empowers teachers, supports learners and reduces educational inequalities rather than increasing them.
Thank you.
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:48:25
Thank you.
And I now call on the next speaker, who will be the last speaker, and that's Mr David WELLS. You have the floor.
Dear colleagues,
Artificial intelligence is transforming the way we work.
Across economies and sectors, it is reshaping how tasks are performed and how services are delivered.
AI is no longer a specialised technology used by a limited number of experts. It is rapidly emerging as a general-purpose technology, one that is being integrated into workplaces, public institutions and economies around the world.
We are already seeing its potential.
Healthcare professionals use AI to reduce administrative burdens and support the analysis of complex medical information. Educators can use it to develop and adapt learning materials. Businesses are using AI to analyse data, strengthen customer service and improve operational efficiency.
This transformation presents significant opportunities. Used responsibly, AI can increase productivity, improve workplace safety, reduce repetitive work and help people focus on higher‑value activities.
It has the potential to drive innovation, support economic growth and create new products, services and occupations.
At the same time, the adoption of AI also carries risks for workers, businesses and economies.
We know that the benefits of AI will not be shared equally and that certain occupations and sectors will experience disruption.
The OECD has also warned that the AI revolution could bring risks and challenges, including breaches of privacy, increased workplace surveillance, reduced human agency, and a lack of transparency in decision making.
As the rapporteur notes in her report, our societies and economies must prepare now for the profound changes that AI and the broader digital transformation will bring.
We need to ensure that workers and students have access to the education, training and lifelong learning opportunities they need to adapt as technology changes. And we need to ensure that our regulatory frameworks protect workers and citizens.
Parliaments have a particularly important role in this process. We must scrutinise the choices our governments make and ensure that technological progress remains consistent with our democratic values.
Thank you, colleagues.
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
Mr President,
Dear Colleagues,
We are discussing this report as leading AI companies themselves voice serious concerns about AI risks and the urgent need for regulation.
Against this backdrop, the report rightly goes beyond viewing Europe's role as regulatory, emphasising strengthening digital sovereignty, innovation, and resilience. It also highlights critical challenges: environmental pressures, inequalities, disinformation, labour market disruption, and impacts on creative professionals. I believe Europe can chart a distinct path from the U.S. and China in addressing these challenges.
By grounding our digital strategy in our core values, we can shape a digital future through three priorities:
Expanding access to financing for AI investment across companies, regions and countries; broadening access to AI expertise and capabilities; developing and implementing policies to ensure AI is used safely, widely, and fairly.
Dear Colleagues,
National responsibility is essential, but maximising AI's benefits and managing its risks requires coordination. We need common frameworks and cooperation to protect our workers, labour markets, and societies without leaving anyone behind. In this regard, I emphasise the importance of the OECD's work and support deepening our ongoing cooperation.
Thank you.
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
Mr President,
Dear colleagues,
Imagine a woman who has worked in the same company for twenty years. She knows its customers, remembers what went wrong and helps new colleagues find their feet. Then artificial intelligence arrives. She helps introduce it, explains how the work is done and corrects its mistakes. The business becomes more productive and more valuable. When she goes home, however, her concerns are familiar: the bills, her children's future, whether she can put something aside for retirement. Will this progress make a difference to her life?
I thank Ms Marietta KARAMANLI for a report that takes this question seriously.
Recent warnings from Christine LAGARDE about Europe's dependence on foreign AI infrastructure, and from the IMF about pressure on the middle of the labour market, remind us that the benefits of this transition cannot be taken for granted.
We need to ask who will own the gains from AI and whether the people helping to create them will have a fair opportunity to share in them.
This is why I proposed the amendment accepted in Paris, now reflected in paragraph 20.16. It encourages voluntary employee share ownership, share options and other forms of long-term financial participation, while respecting entrepreneurial risk, property rights and companies' freedom to choose.
For an employee, this could mean a first opportunity to own a small part of the business they have helped build. Over time, it could mean savings, greater security and more choices for their family.
The OECD can help us understand what works.
Alongside AI adoption, we should measure pay, job quality and how the financial gains are shared. We should also listen to workers themselves.
For this Assembly, human dignity and democratic stability are central. Both depend on people feeling that their contribution matters and that their future is worth investing in.
The woman who helps make her company more valuable should be able to see that progress in her own life; in what she earns, what she can save and the future she can offer her children.
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
I congratulate the rapporteur Ms Marietta KARAMANLI for treating a very important and sensitive issue.
The report treats the transforming power of AI, what the productivity, public services, education, job quality media etc gain.
I agree with the recommendations on the protection of workers, vulnerable groups; ensuring that AI does not deepen inequalities between countries, regions, generations, genders,
Artificial intelligence must remain human-centred, accountable.
Albania is perfect case study. The Albanian Prime Minister proudly introduced the world’s first AI minister, Diella, "the Sun". Her mission? To make public procurement 100% free of corruption. So far it looks wonderful. But AI Minister was created by AKSHI, the state agency of Technology and Information, which is responsible for all state and personal data and digital infrastructure with NATO and EU.
But this agency, now, is at the centre of a major criminal investigation by SPAK. The director, deputy, other officials, businessmen, are officially charged that as part of a structured criminal group influenced procurement procedures, predetermined tender winners, used coercion against competitors.
Just imagine, all data, in the hands of criminal groups which have access to all data bases exposing personal identities, family relations, home addresses, property info, bank records, salaries, employment, benefits, and political voter profiling misused before and during elections. It facilitated electoral pressure, blackmail, commercial exertion, identity fraud, surveillance, targeting of investigators, journalists, official and witnesses.
So, the AI Minister served only to PM propaganda, it did not solve the issue of corruption. TI reports that the level of corruption is down by 11 positions.
Algorithms do not stop corruption.
Do not abolish conflicts of interest or political responsibility. Even the most sophisticated AI depends on who designs it, who provides its data, who controls the system and who is accountable when something goes wrong. The question is who goes to jail for the corruption, AI Minister cannot!! Who takes the responsibilities?? AI Minister cannot!! Who is to blame for the abuse and corruption? AI Minister is not!
Technology can make government faster and more efficient. But it cannot replace the rule of law. We do not need artificial intelligence to hide human responsibility. We need human responsibility to govern artificial intelligence.
For these reasons, I strongly support the resolution.
Thank you.
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
Mr President,
Dear colleagues,
First of all I’d like warmly congratulate Ms Marietta KARAMANLI on her excellent and thoughtful report.
Artificial intelligence is already changing the world of work. The question before us is not whether this change will happen, but how we choose to shape it.
The OECD provides us with valuable evidence. Here, in the Council of Europe, our responsibility is to ensure that technological progress remains firmly anchored in human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
AI should support human work and respect human dignity. It should create opportunities without deepening inequalities between workers, generations, regions or countries. No citizen should face a serious decision concerning employment or professional life without transparency, explanation and meaningful human oversight.
We must also ensure that the digital transition is fair to all territories. Remote, rural and island regions must not be left behind in the age of artificial intelligence. Their citizens must have equal access to digital infrastructure, new skills, education and the employment opportunities created by new technologies.
Europe should not have to choose between innovation and rights. Our responsibility is to bring them together.
Technology must remain at the service of people, never the other way around.
Thank you.
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
Thank you, Chair.
Dear colleagues,
I rise in support of this draft resolution because artificial intelligence is not simply a technological transformation. It is a transformation that will shape the opportunities, rights and responsibilities of the next generation.
Young people are among those most directly affected by the rapid development of AI. On the one hand, AI can provide new opportunities: it can support education, facilitate access to information, improve productivity and create new forms of employment. But we must also recognise the challenges. Young people entering the labour market may be particularly exposed to the automation of entry-level and routine tasks. At the same time, they need new skills to succeed in an economy where AI is increasingly present.
This is why we must invest in AI literacy, digital skills, critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving. Education must not simply teach young people how to use AI; it must also teach them how to question its outputs, recognise its limitations and understand its ethical and social consequences. We should ensure that AI becomes a tool that strengthens human capabilities rather than a substitute for independent thinking and learning.
But our responsibility goes beyond education and employment. AI is already being introduced into the public sector, in employment services, justice, social protection and public administration. These applications can make public services more efficient and responsive, but they also create serious risks if they are poorly designed or insufficiently supervised.
When an algorithm contributes to a decision affecting a person's employment, access to social protection or other fundamental rights, citizens must know how that decision was reached and must have access to meaningful human oversight and effective redress. Public authorities must remain accountable for the systems they deploy.
Trustworthy public-sector AI therefore requires transparency, data protection, human oversight, appropriate safeguards and continuous monitoring. It also requires public institutions to develop the expertise necessary to understand and challenge the technologies they procure.
Colleagues, our objective should not be to choose between innovation and protection. We should create the conditions in which innovation serves people.
For young people in particular, this means ensuring that they have the skills, opportunities and protections needed to participate fully in an AI-driven society.
I therefore support this draft resolution and urge colleagues to support its call for responsible, human-rights-based and trustworthy AI.
Thank you.
Speech not pronounced (Rules of Procedure, Art. 31.2), only available in French
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:50:42
Thank you.
And I understand that the Deputy Secretary-General, Mr Yasushi MASAKI, has asked for 1 minute. Please take the floor.
Secrétaire général adjoint de l’Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques (OCDE)
16:50:54
Thank you very much, Mister Chair,
Thank you very much, all the members of this Assembly,
All the points you have mentioned, I think, are very pertinent. And our reports, I think, try to cover all your points or concerns. But it's still an ongoing process. As you all know, AI is advancing day by day, even at the time of our discussion. So, what can we do to face the challenge of that speed? I think we need all of you to have a very strong political will.
Also, the OECD could continue to work on evidence, conduct an analysis and make recommendations to all of you.
Thank you very much for this very good opportunity today.
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:51:45
Thank you so much, Mr Yasushi MASAKI.
I 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. And these speeches must not exceed 400 words.
I remind colleagues that the type-written texts can be submitted, electronically if possible, no later than 4 hours after the list of speakers is interrupted.
I now call on Ms Marietta KARAMANLI, rapporteur, to reply. You have 2 minutes and 15 seconds.
Mr President,
Firstly, I would like to take two minutes to thank our Deputy Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for the honour he has bestowed upon us today and for his participation, not only in our proceedings here today, here, through this debate, but also to thank, through him, the entire OECD team who have supported me over the past two years in this work, which has sought to be precisely balanced, as you have all pointed out, dear colleagues.
I would like to thank each and every one of you, first of all the members of the delegations who are not members of the Council of Europe but are members of the OECD, and also all my colleagues who, through this debate, have contributed their thoughts and proposals.
I just wanted to highlight two or three key points. You have all spoken of the human element. And indeed, education and the school system must be based on knowledge – sound knowledge – as well as critical thinking, independent thought and a human-centred approach to teaching.
You have spoken of creativity, and I would like to emphasise this, because in this report I have also sought to take current issues into account. And when we talk, for example, about creativity, it is essential to provide protection for all creative enterprises through rules on intellectual property and the regulation of data scraping, for instance, restrictions on the use of AI tools – which could also undermine cultural diversity – and, of course, strict oversight of AI-generated content.
We also wanted to include the issue of journalism, because, when it comes to journalism, we emphasise respect for pluralism, we emphasise the accuracy of information and editorial responsibility; and, as you rightly pointed out earlier, reducing inequalities – particularly regional inequalities – and thus ensuring balanced access to digital infrastructure is essential.
So all these elements are a step in the right direction, and I believe that the environmental dimension we have taken into account in this report truly enables us to build a comprehensive framework that protects and is not afraid of AI, but which also seeks to encourage all partners, all member states, and indeed, I would say, organisations interested in this subject, to go further in respecting human dignity and adhering to regulation, and to ensure they truly live up to our expectations in conveying a positive message and a message of hope for younger generations, as we saw this morning in the previous debate.
Thank you.
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:55:20
Thank you.
Does the chair, Mr George LOUCAIDES, want to have the floor?
You have then 3 minutes, George.
Chypre, GUE, au nom de la commission des questions politiques et de la démocratie
16:55:29
Thank you very much, Mr Chairperson,
Dear colleagues,
On behalf of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, we thank our rapporteur, Ms Marietta KARAMANLI, and the rapporteurs for opinion, Ms Maria-Gabriela HORGA, of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development and Ms Larysa BILOZIR, of the Committee on Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation. We also thank the Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD for joining us and sharing his assessment of the organisation's work.
Artificial intelligence, dear colleagues, is transforming how we work, the skills we need and the opportunities available to us. Its development offers considerable potential for greater prosperity, but also brings uncertainty for workers, businesses and public authorities. Our task is to ensure that this transformation improves people's lives. Higher productivity is important, but it cannot be the only measure of success. We must also consider the quality of employment and whether people have the support they need to adapt. As new jobs emerge and others disappear, those most exposed to disruption must receive particular attention.
The report rightly emphasises investment in education, reskilling and upskilling. These opportunities must be accessible to the workers who need them so that technological change does not deepen existing disadvantages. Training must be accompanied by appropriate regulations and effective safeguards. Respect for human rights, including social and labour rights, must guide the development and use of artificial intelligence. These principles must be reflected in the decisions that shape its deployment in the workplace.
The OECD has an important role in providing the evidence and analysis needed to inform these decisions. Its continued co-operation with the Council of Europe can help ensure that technological and economic developments are assessed alongside their implications for rights. The draft resolution translates these concerns into recommendations for the member states of both organisations. It also recognises the different challenges facing small- and medium-sized enterprises, the cultural sector, the media and the public services.
On behalf of our Committee, we invite this enlarged Assembly to support the draft resolution and encourage governments to follow through on its recommendations. The benefits of artificial intelligence will depend on the choices we make and the protection we provide to those affected throughout this transition.
Thank you very much.
Danemark, SOC, Président de l'Assemblée
16:58:23
Thank you.
The Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy has presented a draft resolution to which eight amendments have been tabled.
I understand that the Committee wishes to propose to the Assembly that Amendments 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 2, 3 and 4 to the draft resolution (Document 16472), which were unanimously approved by the Committee, be declared as definitively approved.
Is that so, Mister Chair?
That is so.
So if no one objects, I'll consider the amendments to be approved.
Is there any objection? That's not the case.
Amendments 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 2, 3 and 4 to the draft resolution are therefore approved and will not be called.
We will now proceed to vote on the draft resolution contained in Document 16472. A simple majority is required. And may I remind colleagues that delegates from Canada and Mexico are able to participate in this vote. You should insert your badge in order to vote.
Now the vote is open.
And I close the vote and call for the results to be displayed. Thank you so much.
The draft resolution is adopted.
[Applause]
And now we will have a technical change where we will have a new debate. So in a couple of minutes we'll be ready again.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:03:44
Dear colleagues, you can finalise the photographs and your chats, but indeed, we have to resume the session.
I hope the rapporteurs are ready, the committees are ready, and you are ready as well.
The next item of business this afternoon is the debate under urgent procedure on "Repression and targeted attacks on LGBTI persons and defenders in Türkiye" (Document 16499), presented by Mr Sam RUSHWORTH on behalf of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination.
In order to finish by 6:00 p.m., I will interrupt the list of speakers at about 5:50 p.m. to allow time to reply and to cast a vote.
I call now Mr Sam RUSHWORTH, the rapporteur. You have 7 minutes now and 3 minutes at the end of the debate to reply.
Please. The floor is yours.
Thank you.
This resolution describes an immediate, co-ordinated and escalating campaign of rights violations against LGBT+ persons, their defenders and civil society organisations in Türkiye. It is held under the urgent procedure of this Assembly to call for immediate actions to end repression and violence and uphold fundamental rights and human dignity of people who identify as LGBTI+ and their defenders.
The danger, if we fail to act now, is that the repression of recent weeks becomes more systematic and entrenched. On 12 September 2026, in a campaign they called "Operation My Family Is Safe", authorities shut down websites and social media accounts of organisations advocating the rights of LGBTI+ people. Then, in the early hours of Sunday 13 September, while Europe was still sleeping, police raided homes, offices and social venues, seizing property and arresting people across 15 provinces. Further arrests then followed, in a crackdown against those protesting the attacks. So far as we know, by 17 September, at least 116 people had been taken into custody, with 82 placed in pretrial detention. Over 40 of these are rights defenders and activists.
Information shared by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association-Europe (ILGA-Europe) and the Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Association (KAOS GL) describes serious concerns about detention conditions. In Sincan Prison, Ankara, members of the executive board of KAOS GL, Türkiye's oldest LGBTI+ rights organisation, have reportedly been subjected to strip searches, solitary confinement and other ill-treatment on the grounds connected to their sexual orientation and gender identity. Access to medicine, clean clothes, hygiene products and even drinking water have reportedly been restricted.
Following a visit to Mersin Prison, where some of the LGBTI+ activists are being held, human rights lawyers report overcrowding, restricted access to medicine, basic necessities and warm clothing, not being taken to hospital despite sustaining injuries, some sleeping on the floor without mattresses and problems with the confidentiality of lawyer-client meetings.
These reports raise serious concerns about dignity, health, communication with loved ones and humane treatment in detention. You may hear in this debate attempts to deny or justify what's happening, on the grounds that Türkiye's constitution and laws allow people to identify as LGBT, that this is merely a legal process relating to criminal allegations, including drugs and obscenity that will be tried according to law. I've been around autocratic regimes long enough to know how strategic ambiguity is used in this way, and how trumped-up charges, police raids and pretrial detention is used by the state to terrorise people.
But let's explore that claim for a moment. Ms Janset KALAN, a trans woman who was detained in the recent operation, was previously sentenced to 5 months in prison under Türkiye's obscenity law for a photo showing her cleavage and legs shared from a social media account that does not belong to her. Describing the harassment, violence, humiliation and exclusion she experienced, Ms Janset KALAN describes being homeless for six months as a teenager while still pursuing her studies.
Ms Nedime ERDOĞAN, also imprisoned under the operation, is the mother of an LGBTI+ child, determined to end discrimination and exclusion of youth like her child. She set up the GALADER-Ankara Rainbow Families Association, to promote inclusive families. Reflecting on her reaction to the Turkish authorities calling their campaign "Keep My Family Safe", she said; "when I first heard the name of the operation, I laughed, because for years, I have been working for families to stay together, to understand their children, to support them, to respect their existence, without ever forgetting the reality that family is a space of struggle for LGBTI+ youths, who are forced to cope with various forms of discrimination and bullying as people try to render them invisible in the public sphere. It is very important that the institution of family stands in protective, caring and understanding place".
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe was established to defend the human rights of people like Ms Janset KALAN and Ms Nedime ERDOĞAN. And there is a real danger, if we do not unite today in condemnation of what is happening and in calling for action, repression will become more organised and entrenched. It's worth noting that so far only existing law has been used to justify the repression. The resolution therefore warns the Turkish authorities to refrain from enacting anti-LGBTI+ laws. It warns against restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, including the continued prohibition of Pride marches and other LGBTI+ events. And it warns that official justifications for crackdowns may reinforce negative public perceptions of LGBTI+ people and be used to justify prejudice, discrimination and exclusion.
History has shown that the repression against one group can be a warning sign of wider threats to human rights, and in many cases, the treatment of LGBTI+ people has been the canary in the mine. I've deliberately kept this resolution focused on the immediate human rights violations against LGBTI+ people in Türkiye, but the Assembly will note that it comes in a context of a wider democratic deterioration in the country.
The calls in the resolution are reasonable and proportionate to the threat: an end to repression and violence, the release of people detained because of their identity or human rights work, protection of fundamental freedoms, restored access to blocked websites and social media accounts, an end to bans on Pride marches and the implementation of judgments of the Court.
Before finishing, may I also say, while I've not included it in this resolution, I call upon the Council of Europe to consider the safety of LGBTI+ participants and representatives in activities in Türkiye, including visible LGBTI+ Assembly members. Supporting the resolution would respond to the escalation, recognise human rights and democratic risks, and call for concrete protections for LGBTI+ people and their defenders.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:11:52
Thank you so much for keeping to time.
May I remind the Assembly that speaking time is limited to 3 minutes for those who speak on behalf of the political groups and 2 minutes for all the other members.
In the debate, I call first on behalf of the Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group, Mr Max LUCKS. Max, the floor is yours.
Thank you, dear Madam President,
Dear colleagues,
My family is not safe.
Because my family is the community of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people across Europe, and the terrible attacks by the Turkish government against them are an attack against my family.
The shutdown of organisations, the mass detention of peaceful activists, police raids against people simply because of whom they love or how they express themselves, even in the middle of the night, are an attack against my queer family, and against the queer families of so many others across Europe.
The Turkish LGBT community needs to know one thing: You are not alone. We are with you. And we will not give up standing at your side.
And we know why that is happening right now.
Mr Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN and his government, they do not care about LGBT people. But they know that LGBT people can be used as a political tool. They can target a small and already heavily discriminated-against community in order to shift public attention away from corruption and the erosion of democratic standards in their own country.
It is not an accident that the independent Turkish news outlet T24 was shut down after reporting on these human rights violations. What we are witnessing is the deliberate creation of a structure of discrimination against some of the most vulnerable people in society in order to weaken the strong and resilient democratic structures of the Republic of Türkiye we so heavily respect.
My family is not safe.
And my family is also Europe, the Europe of which Türkiye is a proud and indispensable part, and the Europe that Türkiye has committed itself to as a democracy and a member of this organisation. And that kind of Türkiye is, colleagues, let's be honest, under attack by its own government.
It is up to us to defend the fundamental rights of the Turkish people.
I want to express my deepest gratitude to the rapporteur of our group for his extraordinary work under the pressure of time and for bringing this issue forward under the urgent procedure.
And I urge all of you, dear colleagues, to fully support this report, so that the Turkish people can see: We are on your side. We are with you. And we will not give up until your fundamental rights are protected again.
Let us make all members of our family safe.
Thank you.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:15:30
Thank you, Mr Max LUCKS.
On behalf of the Group of the European People's Party, I now call Mr Georgios STAMATIS.
Georgios, the floor is yours.
Grèce, PPE/DC, Porte-parole du groupe
17:15:39
Thank you, Madam President.
Allow me to speak in Greek.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:15:48
Let's try.
Grèce, PPE/DC, Porte-parole du groupe
17:15:50
When you want to be a democracy, you have to be there for all citizens.
When you want to be a democracy, you must have policies for all citizens.
When you want to be a democracy, you must protect all citizens.
When you are a democracy, and you participate in international organisations that defend democracy, you have to give rights to minorities and to people that want to actually have their own self-identification.
Now, the position of Türkiye to the LGBTQI community, is that this is something more. It is an attack, not only on diversity, but it is an attack on democracy. It's an attack on how rule of law has to defend people's rights, but also we see that a country cannot terrorise its citizens with such actions, citizens who may believe that they are something different than others.
We are here, not only to stand by the side of the LGBTQI persons of Türkiye, but we are here also to stand by the side of all those who don't have a voice. And we stand by those who are being silenced. When you don't have a voice, you do not exist. And what is happening here now in Türkiye is that the state doesn't want these people to exist, in the name of an ideology of a different type of purity, a different type of society. And this does not go hand in hand with the European institutions, nor with the universal principles of the Declaration.
And we are, in fact, very much against what is happening in Türkiye. But by their side, they mustn't be afraid. They must continue their fight for democracy, as is ours, and we must defend them continuously.
It's not simply a matter of having a voice. These people must feel that somebody cares for them. And we are there for them. Because people are trying to make them not exist. I hope that we are not going to experience things that we have experienced in the past in Europe, because when there is a witch hunt against one population, others follow.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:18:50
Thank you, Georgios. [in Greek]
The next on my list is Mr Vladimir ĐORĐEVIĆ, representing the European Conservatives, Patriots & Affiliates Group. Please, Vladimir, the floor is yours.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Today’s debate is officially about Türkiye and the situation of LGBT persons. But I look around this room, I must congratulate the management: this House of Human Rights has introduced a VIP entrance. We debate. We draft. And the outside world simply does not care.
Take Mr Osman KAVALA. Nearly nine years in a cell. The Court in this very city ordered Ankara to release him. Ankara looked at Strasbourg, smiled and kept the key. We gave him a prize and set a political deadline: 1 January 2024. The date came. The date went. Mr Osman KAVALA remained in prison. Why? Because Mr Osman KAVALA has a fatal flaw: he is an old-fashioned political prisoner. Boring to the modern European eye. If he were a prominent member of the LGBT community, we would have tears, live cameras and emergency debates. And Ankara would ignore those too. Because Ankara has discovered the secret: this House has no teeth. Türkiye is not alone.
Look at Serbia, my own country. This Assembly itself documented abuse of force, arbitrary arrests and ill-treatment in custody. It called for independent investigations. And I am still waiting to see who answered for it. Would a rainbow flag have protected the students in Belgrade? Not for a second. Paper is paper, whatever colour the banner. A paragraph nobody enforces is not protection. It is decoration.
So our group proposes one simple rule: when this Assembly adopts a resolution demanding action, the president informs the country concerned in writing and publishes what was actually done within 12 months. If there is no action, or too little, the matter goes automatically to the Committee of Ministers. Automatically. No exceptions. Not for the powerful. Not for the fashionable. Not for the forgotten prisoner.
Do that and "Council of Europe" means something again. Otherwise, let us stop calling this a temple of justice. It is simply an elegant, very, very expensive archive.
Thank you.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:21:46
Thank you very much. The next on my list, the representative of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group, Ms Meritxell ALCOBÉ. Sorry for my pronunciation.
Madam ALCOBÉ. The floor is yours.
Andorre, ADLE, Porte-parole du groupe
17:22:00
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Honourable Members,
I would first like to thank the rapporteur, Mr Sam RUSHWORTH, for this report, which is a clear call for freedom, for the fight against discrimination and for the defence of human rights.
Recent events in Türkiye are particularly worrying. The ban on Pride marches in recent years, as well as the arrests and detentions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) activists, constitute serious breaches of fundamental freedoms. The growing repression targeting LGBTI people and those who defend their rights – including arrests, detentions, persecution, digital restrictions and bans on peaceful demonstrations – constitutes a violation of citizens’ fundamental rights.
We must also reflect on the fact that, in the 21st century, the diversity of family forms is still, at times, difficult to understand and accept. Families can take many different forms. Rainbow families are now a reality. They are part of the diversity of our societies and must be recognised, respected and protected just like any other family.
Recognising this diversity does not undermine the family. It means acknowledging the reality of our societies and guaranteeing the same rights to everyone. The protection of the family must under no circumstances be used to justify discrimination or the restriction of rights and freedoms.
We must make this clear: the rights of LGBTI people are human rights. Freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and the right to live free from discrimination must be guaranteed to everyone. The repression of LGBTI people and their rights defenders also sends a worrying signal for democracy and the rule of law.
As a member state of the Council of Europe, we have a responsibility to uphold the values we share: human rights, democracy, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms. That is why we support the proposals contained in this report. It is essential to take concrete legislative measures, to strengthen anti-discrimination education, to protect human rights defenders and to guarantee that everyone can exercise this freedom. We must also support civil society organisations that work every day to promote equality and non-discrimination.
Finally, I would like to emphasise a key point. Defending the rights of LGBTI people is not about defending specific rights; it is about defending human rights for everyone. We must therefore stand firm against this form of discrimination, violence or repression, and continue to champion a Europe where everyone can live freely, with dignity, equality and without fear.
Thank you.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:25:07
Thank you [spoken in French].
On behalf of the Group of the Unified European Left, I call Ms Sevilay ÇELENK. Dear Sevilay, the floor is yours.
Türkiye, GUE, Porte-parole du groupe
17:25:18
Thank you, Chair.
Thank you, dear rapporteur.
Dear colleagues,
It is really sad for me to speak about what is happening in my country in this way, here among you.
We have seen better days, though, when we were a part of the Istanbul Convention.
At a time when Türkiye is trying to move towards peace, when we should be talking about healing old wounds and confronting the losses of the past, I wish we did not have to speak about a new wave of repression.
Since 12 September, across 15 provinces, LGBTI people, activists, rights defenders and members of LGBTI organisations have faced raids, arrests and detention. Among them was an LGBTI mother, a mother fighting for her child and for a dignified life, named Ms Nedime ERDOĞAN. This witch-hunt was called "Operation My Family Is Safe." Safe family, really?
LGBTI people are not a threat to the family. They are part of families as children, parents, siblings and friends. And if we are truly concerned about families in Türkiye, we must look at what is happening to them. There are Kurdish families carrying a collective grief, a grief that has never been fully acknowledged or mourned. A mourning for their children who never came home, for lives lost and futures that never had the chance to unfold. Are they not a family?
Today, Mr Selahattin DEMİRTAŞ has spent ten years in prison. His daughters have grown into university students while their father has been absent from their lives. Is that not a family?
Families in Türkiye are being devastated by poverty, hunger, violence, insecurity and the erosion of justice. The real threats to families are not LGBTI people. This is why the name “Family Is Safe” is so difficult to hear. When it accompanies raids, arrests and the targeting of a minority, it speaks not of safety, but of fear.
Yesterday, here in this building, in room number 7, we heard Professor Ayşe BUĞRA call for the implementation of the Court’s judgments regarding her husband, Mr Osman KAVALA. She spoke of his elderly mother, who has waited all these 9 years for her son. She said that when he finally comes home, his mother may no longer recognise him. Is that not a family?
The family is not made safe by persecuting LGBTI people. The threat to the family lies in practices that are outside the rule of law and carried out without any regard for conscience.
Thank you.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:28:34
"Thank you" [Spoken in Turkish].
We open the speakers' list. And first, we continue the speakers' list, represented by MPs.
The first on my list is Ms Aysu BANKOĞLU. Please, the floor is yours.
Thank you, Madam President.
A few weeks ago, a co-ordinated wave of detentions and severe restrictions targeted LGBTI+ activists, journalists and civil society groups across the country. The Minister of Justice also accused some of these groups of promoting "immorality" and linked the investigations to allegations of "obscenity". And yet the justification offered for these measures is "My Family is Safe".
Let me ask a simple question. If the family is safe, are women and children safe? In the first eight months of this year almost 200 women were killed by men in Türkiye. Or are journalists safe? Is civil society safe? And, ultimately, is democracy safe? Because society does not become safer by criminalising peaceful advocates for equality. So, this is not simply an issue about LGBTI+ rights. It is a test of whether fundamental rights are equally applied to everyone. The main purpose behind this is clear, the government is trying to suffocate independent civil society and silence any voices it dislikes.
When the language of "family protection" and "morality" is used to stigmatise peaceful human rights advocacy as criminal conduct, we should all be concerned. As parliamentarians, we cannot remain silent when human rights defenders are detained for their peaceful work or when fundamental freedoms are restricted under the language of protecting "family values".
I am sorry, but this is not a legal process. This is a political purge. And no one’s lifestyle or existence is subjected to government’s permission. We should stand for a Türkiye in which every person, regardless of gender identity, can live with dignity, exercise their fundamental freedoms and participate in public life without fear. Because until human rights defenders are safe, until journalists and civil society are safe and until women and children are safe, no one is truly safe.
Thank you.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:31:06
Thank you. The next speaker on my list...
"Mr Christophe LACROIX. Please, Christophe. You have the floor" [spoken in French].
Madam Chair,
Just imagine!
Imagine that someone came to arrest you. Not for theft. Not for violence.
But for defending the right to love whoever you choose. The right to be who you are.
This is not a nightmare. This is Türkiye. Today. A member state of the Council of Europe.
Since 12 September, dozens of activists, community leaders and journalists have been arrested. The name of the operation? “My family is safe”. What a cruel irony. In the name of the family, other families are being torn apart. In the name of values, dignity is being trampled underfoot.
Behind the walls, we have overcrowded cells. Body searches described as humiliating. Lawyers prevented from defending their clients. Voices they seek to silence.
And the message is crystal clear, addressed to an entire people, this fine Turkish people: “Keep quiet. Or you’ll be next.”
Today, it is LGBTI+ people and those who defend them. But tomorrow, who? When you start imprisoning love, you always end up imprisoning freedom.
Türkiye has given its word to Europe. It must keep it. Türkiye has signed agreements and conventions. It must honour them.
Release the human rights defenders. Now. Stop arbitrary prosecutions. Now. Restore everyone’s right to speak, to assemble and to campaign. Now.
To those who are afraid today, in Istanbul, in Ankara, everywhere in Türkiye: you are not alone. We see you. We will not abandon you. Because in the face of oppression, silence is never neutral.
As for me, I will not remain silent. I shall therefore vote in favour of this motion. It is right; it defends our freedoms and protects the victims of arbitrary action.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:33:28
Thank you Christophe [spoken in French].
The next on my list is Mr Rónán MULLEN. Dear Ronan, are you here?
This is not the case. Next on my list is Mr Abdurrahman BABACAN.
Please, the floor is yours, Mr BABACAN.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Dear colleagues,
The year was 1990 when the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child was entered into force. 196 countries, including all Council of Europe member states, became parties to it. The Second Optional Protocol in 2002 further deepened the measures, defining and outlining the scope of all direct and indirect impacts to which children might be exposed to.
The Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, the Lanzarote Convention, was signed in 2007 to mandate the implementation of protective, preventive and penal measures against all forms of abuse and exploitation that harm children’s development and their physical, psychological and emotional integrity.
The concept encompasses a comprehensive whole, emphasised heavily in scientific studies and the entire field of child and adolescent psychiatry, that addresses the environments to which children are being exposed.
The focus here is a stance also shared by all Council of Europe member states that became parties to the international conventions just 20 years ago is the necessity of protecting children and future generations from any movement and organised illegal activities that might have a detrimental impact on them. And this imposes a responsibility on all the states here. Not just Türkiye. This is the essence, the logic, and the basis of the matter.
In this regard, the fundamental grounds for the legal proceedings in Türkiye now and the primary categories of the alleged offenses are: obscenity, facilitating or brokering prostitution and possession and trafficking of narcotics, which the associations that are currently the subject of legal proceedings are alleged to be linked to.
Moreover, within these proceedings, individuals who have not been implicated in such crimes will naturally be legally distinguished and cleared during the trial process. However, to achieve this, it is necessary to move beyond presenting the issue as a narrative of freedom based on a categorical perspective and instead, shifting to a more rational and evidence-based methodological position.
Thank you.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:36:10
"Thank you" [Spoken in Turkish]. Thank you. It's just taking time from others. Thank you. Thank you, Mr Abdurrahman BABACAN.
The next on my list is Mr Mogens JENSEN. Mr JENSEN, the floor is yours.
Thank you very much, Madam President.
Dear colleagues,
Türkiye is already in serious conflict with several of the fundamental values of the Council of Europe: freedom of expression, democratic standards, the protection of civil society and the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights.
Now we are witnessing a new and deeply troubling chapter: the persecution of LGBTI people and those defending their rights.
Since 12 September, we have seen mass arrests and detentions, raids on homes, restrictions on digital platforms and attacks against LGBTI organisations and human rights defenders in 15 provinces. Even people protesting against these attacks have been detained. And these actions have been justified in the name of protecting the family. Let us be very clear. Protecting the family cannot justify persecuting minorities. The continued ban on pride marches is another example. For a decade, peaceful LGBTI events have been prohibited despite the protection of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly under the European Convention on Human Rights.
This is not simply an LGBTI issue. This is a human rights issue. It's a rule of law issue. And it's a democracy issue. Our demands on the Turkish government are therefore clear: Türkiye must immediately release those detained because of their human rights work, sexual orientation or gender identity. Charges based on peaceful expression, assembly and association must be dropped. Restrictions on human rights defenders and their social media accounts must be lifted. Pride bans must end and Türkiye must implement the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. It must also end hateful rhetoric and refrain from adopting legislation targeting LGBTI people.
Human rights are universal, LGBTI rights are human rights and membership of the Council of Europe comes with obligations. Thank you.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:38:40
Thank you Mr Mogens JENSEN.
The next on my list is Mr Joseph O'REILLY. Mr O'REILLY, the floor is yours.
Presumably not. Yes. Next on my list is Baroness Ruth HUNT.
Dear Ruth, the floor is yours.
It might take a few seconds.
President,
Colleagues,
I support this motion. I want to make one broader point about how this Assembly responds when the values we exist to defend are being deliberately tested.
What is happening to LGBTI people in Türkiye is not simply a disagreement about social policy. When people are intimidated, organisations targeted, peaceful assembly restricted and a minority is progressively pushed out of public life, we should recognise that for what it is, a warning sign for democracy.
LGBTI people are often among the first whose rights are tested. The question becomes: how much exclusion will Europe tolerate? And if that boundary moves, it rarely stops with LGBTI people.
So I would ask our Bureau to think carefully about how we use the considerable soft power of the Assembly.
I say this as an LGBTI member of PACE: at present, I would not feel particularly welcome attending a meeting in Türkiye. In an organisation founded on human rights, that should matter. I am not calling for a boycott. Quite the opposite. There will be times when we absolutely should go, to engage, to challenge, to support civil society, to have difficult conversations and to do serious work where our presence can make a difference.
But our presence also confers legitimacy. We should therefore distinguish between engagement with a purpose and simply holding our routine meetings that could equally take place elsewhere.
Soft power only works if we are conscious of when we are using it. When a member state actively persecutes a minority, business as usual cannot be our only response. We should certainly remain at the table. We should remain engaged. But we should also be mindful and make our presence count when we are there.
Thank you.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:41:12
Thank you, Baroness Ruth HUNT. The next on my list is Ms Agnes Sirkka PRAMMER.
Please, Ms PRAMMER, the floor is yours.
Dear colleagues,
When your own home is raided at dawn, when your mother, father, brother or sister is taken away, arrested and detained in inhumane conditions, do you call that safety? When you do not know what is happening to the people you love. Where are they? How are they being looked after? How are they faring? Do you call that safety?
We know full well: no family is safe unless all families are safe. Human rights must apply to everyone; otherwise, no one can rely on them any longer. And in a state that is a member of the Council of Europe, which is committed to upholding the European Convention on Human Rights, this must apply all the more. Full rights for all people. And that must be unconditional and without reservation. Because anything else does not bring greater safety. It brings danger. Because nobody knows who will be next. Nobody knows how much they can still rely on. What will they find next in my life that doesn’t fit, that causes a problem, that they want to get rid of, or that they simply wish to turn into a bogeyman in order to push through political demands?
A state that protects people, a state committed to human rights, must protect everyone – and above all those who demand from that state the very rights it is obliged to grant them.
Thank you very much.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:43:18
"Thank you very much" [Spoken in German].
The next on my list is Ms Tuula HAATAINEN. Dear Tuula, the floor is yours.
Thank you, Madam President.
Dear colleagues,
I'm so sad to hear and read about the development in Türkiye. This is why we have to speak about the rights of sexual minorities in Türkiye. This is not merely a matter of the status of a single group of people, but of fundamental human rights: the right to live free from discrimination, fear, and violence.
Homosexuality is not illegal in Türkiye, and same-sex relationships are lawful. In practice, however, sexual and gender minorities face significant challenges. Many individuals still experience discrimination in the workplace, in education, and in daily life. Hate speech and negative attitudes also affect their ability to participate in society as equal citizens.
In recent years, Pride events have sparked considerable debate. Several parades have been restricted or banned on security grounds, and participants have at times been detained. Civil society organisations have expressed concern that freedom of expression has become increasingly difficult for sexual minorities.
At the same time, there are courageous activists, organisations, and citizens in Türkiye working for equality and human rights. They remind us that every individual has the right to be treated with dignity, regardless of gender identity.
The rights of sexual minorities are not special privileges. These are the same rights that belong to all of us: the right to security, equality, freedom of speech, and human dignity, and the right to love.
Finally, I would like to emphasise that the realisation of human rights is often measured by how a society treats its minorities. Promoting the rights of sexual minorities in Türkiye is important not only for the minorities themselves, but also for the country’s democratic development as a whole.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:45:41
Thank you very much. Next on my list is Ms Gökçe GÖKÇEN.
Madam GÖKÇEN the floor is yours.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Dear colleagues,
People detained as part of operations carried out under the name "My Family is Safe" are asking a very simple question? Is my family not a family too?
Because these operations have targeted not only LGBTI persons, but also families who have stood up for their rights. Academics, journalists, activists, feminists have been targeted and every day dozens of social media accounts are being blocked. Just yesterday, the independent news platform T24 was completely blocked because of sharing content containing so-called LGBTI propaganda.
The allegations directed at LGBTI associations are about the funding received from the French Embassy, the German Embassy, the Dutch Consulate, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and even this very institution, the Council of Europe. To give you just one example, an investigation document about an association includes a single transfer of US$519 from the Council of Europe. These associations now face the risk of closure and the investigation file explicitly refers to causing public disorder and social values.
Let us be clear about what this implies. According to this allegation, foreign states, including some represented here today, are supposedly financing efforts to destroy the family structure and social values of Türkiye through LGBTI organisations.
Dear colleagues, especially from France, Germany and the Netherlands, I have a question for you: has any representative of the government ever warned you, asking why are you spending money to cause public disorder in my country?
In all these debates this week, I have never heard such a warning. If you have not been warned like this, then I must ask you, isn't there a strange contradiction here?
Thank you.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:47:49
Thank you.
And I call the last speaker on my list, Ms Meryem GÖKA. And then we will follow the amendments.
Ms Meryem GÖKA, the floor is yours.
Thank you so much.
Dear President and colleagues,
Türkiye is once again being confronted with labels – such as "repressive" and "authoritarian" simply because its law-enforcement and judicial authorities are conducting criminal investigations.
I strongly reject these biased accusations.
The recent operations concern criminal investigations conducted by the Turkish authorities into allegations including illegal prostitution, exposure of children to sexual content and, the procurement, use and organised facilitation of narcotics.
And, yes, we protect our families and children. That is not merely a national policy choice. It is also a responsibility under international commitments.
Under the Lanzarote Convention, protecting children from violence and abuse is also an international responsibility. If there are allegations of unlawful conduct, let the courts examine the evidence. If there are violations of rights, let the appropriate judicial mechanisms address them. But let us not put an entire country into a political drawer before the facts have even been established.
This is nothing more than outdated ideological labelling, called "Schubladendenken" in German. The lazy habit of putting complex realities into a single category shaped by prejudice. In other words, thinking in stereotypes rather than looking at the facts.
So, actually, we have seen this pattern for years. For decades, I remember Türkiye's efforts to resolve the Kurdish issue, for example, reduced to a single narrative, followed by sweeping accusations of authoritarianism.
Today, Türkiye is pursuing a "terror-free Türkiye and region", a process aimed at ending decades of terrorism once and for all. Yet once again, the same old narrative is being brought back.
Let me be clear, I thing this approach belongs to the past. It does not work any longer. You cannot simply point fingers at Türkiye, whenever our authorities take lawful action.
I want to say: "Less Schubladendenken, more facts !"
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
Madam President,
Dear Colleagues,
"My Family is Safe" operations in question are not directed at people simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The investigations concern specific alleged offences, including establishing an organisation for criminal purposes, prostitution, obscenity and drug-related offences, as well as allegations concerning the exposure of children and minors to such material or activities.
These operations have been conducted to protect the family and children, which is a legitimate responsibility of the State, according to the national laws and international conventions. Article 41 of the Turkish Constitution requires the State to protect the family and children and to take measures against abuse and violence. The Turkish Child Protection Law places children’s rights and welfare at the center of protective action.
Article 3 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child requires the best interests of the child to be a primary consideration. Türkiye is also party to the Council of Europe’s Lanzarote Convention on protecting children from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.
I would also question the wisdom of repeatedly placing Türkiye before the Assembly through overlapping debates and procedures on different issues. Türkiye is already among the countries under the Assembly’s full monitoring procedure. A fair and effective approach requires careful examination of concrete facts and space for judicial processes to run their course.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:50:06
Thank you.
Colleagues, I must now interrupt the list of speakers.
The speeches of the members on the list who have not been presented during the debate can also be given to the Table Office for publication in the Official Report. I'd like to remind you that the speeches must not exceed 400 words, and they have to be type-written texts to be submitted, electronically if possible, no later than 4 hours after the speaker's list is interrupted.
I call now Mr Sam RUSHWORTH, the rapporteur, to reply.
You have 3 minutes, Mister Sam RUSHWORTH.
Thank you.
Can I thank everybody who's spoken in favour of this report?
I want to address one or two of the criticisms, which seem to rest on this idea that these charges are genuinely around obscenity. The problem with obscenity is it's a subjective term, but if you find it obscene that people love each other, that they have relationships, that's a problem.
I've been accused of being led by ideology. That's not true. I'm led by the evidence before us. And the evidence before us is of arbitrary detention, of arrests and raids of people, motivated primarily by the organisations that they belong to.
But if I do have an ideology, it's this: my ideology is that the way to protect families is to promote love. It's to promote tolerance. It's to say that if you have a child who identifies as being LGBT+, that you create an inclusive, warm and safe environment for that person. That's my ideology.
My ideology is that human rights should be upheld, and that that is the purpose of the Council of Europe: to defend human rights. If people don't want to protect human rights, if they want to go another way, then they don't abide by the obligations that they've signed up to.
I also want to thank my colleague, Baroness Ruth HUNT, for her comments and want to echo them: it is important in this place that we don't allow this institution to be used to sort of "pastewash" countries that are engaging constantly in violations, while, of course, it is also important that we engage and that we challenge.
Finally, I do hope that people will vote for the recommendations today, because what we do here matters and the measures that are outlined in this report are not radical; they are simply obvious safeguards to protect the human rights of people who need protecting, to make families safe. And this is about true safety for our families, whatever type of family you may be.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:53:33
Thank you. I now have to ask if the Chair of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination wishes to speak.
I can see that this is the case.
Dear Ms Béatrice FRESKO-ROLFO, the floor is yours [spoken in French].
Monaco, ADLE, Présidente de la commission sur l'égalité et la non-discrimination
17:53:46
Thank you, Madam Chair,
Dear colleagues,
Defending human rights is not a crime; it is a duty.
And yet, there are nights that speak volumes about the state of a democracy. On the night of 12 to 13 September in Türkiye, seven organisations defending LGBTI people, two organisations supporting people living with HIV, as well as bars and clubs from Istanbul to Mersin, were raided, searched and silenced. And when citizens came out to protest, more than 100 were arrested and detained for over 24 hours. These operations form part of a sudden and co-ordinated campaign targeting LGBTI people, the organisations defending their rights, and those who support them across 15 provinces.
I wish to express my solidarity this evening with all those affected. This operation has a name: "My Family Is Safe". As if love were a threat, as if the family needed protecting from its most vulnerable members or those who simply ask to have a place within it – I ask you, which families are we protecting when we hunt down LGBTI families?
So let us ask the question frankly and without beating about the bush. What have these people done other than love, work, sing and live? The problem is not LGBTI people. The problem is homophobia and discrimination. What we are seeing is an increasingly organised campaign against them, against those who defend their rights and against civil society organisations. These actions are incompatible with Türkiye’s human rights commitments.
For it is a vulnerable community that is being targeted. And it is the state’s duty to protect them, not to persecute them. A democracy is measured by the way it treats its minorities, not by the force with which it knocks on their doors. This is no accident. Since 2015, Pride marches have been banned. A draft bill from the Ministry of Justice even proposes to criminalise the promotion of these identities. Yet the freedom of peaceful assembly also protects the right of LGBTI people to gather and be visible. Türkiye has ratified the European Convention on Human Rights. It has committed to guaranteeing freedom of association, freedom of expression, privacy and equality before the law. These commitments are not mere diplomatic formalities; they are promises.
This evening, I have no hesitation in calling for the immediate release of anyone detained for defending their rights, for an end to discriminatory prosecutions, and for respect for the principles to which Türkiye itself has subscribed. I also call for an end to the intimidation and restrictions targeting the websites and social media accounts of human rights defenders. Because the rights of LGBTI people are human rights.
If we allow this to continue today, tomorrow others will be targeted.
Thank you.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:56:41
Thank you, Ms Béatrice FRESKO-ROLFO [in French].
The Committee on Social Affairs... excuse me, the debate is closed.
The Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development has presented a draft resolution, Document 16499, to which five amendments have been tabled. As I understand it, the Chairperson of the Committee wishes to propose to the Assembly that Amendments 1 to 5 to the draft resolution were rejected by the Committee with a two-thirds majority and they will be declared as definitely rejected.
Madam Béatrice, is it so?
Monaco, ADLE, Présidente de la commission sur l'égalité et la non-discrimination
17:57:23
Yes, Madam Chair.
Ukraine, PPE/DC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
17:57:27
"Thank you" [spoken in French]
If there are no objections, and I see none, I will consider the amendments to be rejected yet again.
Are there any objections, colleagues?
I see no objections. Amendments 1 to 5 to the draft resolution are therefore rejected and will not be called.
Colleagues, we will now proceed to the vote on the draft resolution contained in Document 16499 and a simple majority is required.
The vote is open, colleagues.
The vote is closed, and I call for the results to be displayed.
The draft resolution, Document 16499, is adopted.
Thank you, colleagues.
We move on to the next item.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:00:04
So we continue.
The next item of business this afternoon is the debate on the report titled “Towards a family-friendly Europe: policy recommendations for demographic renewal” (Document 16477), presented by Mr Georgios STAMATIS on behalf of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development.
In order to finish on time, I will interrupt the list of speakers at about 7:05 p.m. to allow time for the reply and the vote.
Now I call Mr Georgios STAMATIS, rapporteur. You have 7 minutes now, and 3 minutes at the end to reply to the debate.
The floor is yours, Mr Georgios STAMATIS.
Thank you, Madam President.
Dear colleagues,
We are here tonight, this afternoon, and I would like to thank you for your participation in this debate. For, in my opinion, a very crucial, important political issue as well: the demographic challenges in our countries and, of course, how we can create more family-friendly policies.
Everybody knows about the demographic collapse that we have in many countries, and there are so many reasons. Maybe some of them are political reasons; maybe some of them are things that academics and scientists are trying to find. And, for me, it was very clear that after the big boom from the Second World War, some things changed in our societies.
And all this demographic collapse didn't start yesterday; it didn't start before Covid-19; it started almost 30 years ago. And we have to understand what happened and, of course, what we accept and will have to accept in the next days. My hearings were held throughout Europe with very great persons, specialists on demographics, liberal people, conservative people, from all backgrounds, but focused on the demographic issue.
Not for this report, but as a Chairman in the Parliamentary Friendship Committee between Greece and Korea, I was in Korea twice. Korea is a Christian country, and this is very important. They spent almost €30 billion per year to convince the new generation to start a family. And the answer is: we need more family-friendly policies, we need hope for the next day, we need better jobs, we need a clean environment. And, of course, we need, and we want to have a choice in how we want to live. No stereotypes, but freedom, with inclusion, with diversity and, of course, with the support of the member states.
All the academics, all the hearings, at the end of the day, they told me the same things. Build stronger societies and give the people the choice of how to live, invest to find new jobs and, of course, give them the opportunity to choose how to live their lives. Now we live in many difficult times. We have two wars in our area. We have a high cost of living. And this is the question: can this report convince or guide member states to have better policies? The answer, for me, is yes.
The answer we also try to find in this report is what kind of measures and for whom. Not only about the children who are born today or tomorrow, but also this report, and I'm very proud of this, is about the children that came after us. And I think, in 2 minutes that I have now, that the connection for demographic action plans that every country has to make, the new strategies about long-term care: we don't have children to carry us as grandfathers; we have children because we love children. And, of course, we have to find how to support not only the parents, but the children.
The other crucial question is what happened, as an idea, as an icon, in Europe, the new lifestyle that came from the internet, etc., etc., etc. Give us some answers. But at the end of the day, the most important thing for me, as you know, because you all have read the report; I'm not going to waste time expressing each point in detail. The most crucial point for me was the voice of the youth. And all these voices are in this report. For my assistant, Ms Aiste RAMANAUSKAITE, my Committee and for me, it's a very beautiful time. That one crucial thing about the future of our countries, about the quality of life that we want, is here in this report, for all people, without discrimination, without stereotypes. And this is the crucial thing, and this is the answer.
Are we here for everybody or not? I think that we are.
Thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:08:05
Thank you, Mr Georgios STAMATIS.
May I remind the Assembly that speaking time is limited to 3 minutes for the spokesperson for political groups and 2 minutes for all other members in the debate.
I call first on, behalf of the Group of the European People's Party, Ms Boriana ÅBERG.
The floor is yours.
Suède, PPE/DC, Porte-parole du groupe
18:08:26
Madam President,
Dear colleagues,
I would like to thank Mr Georgios STAMATIS for his important report.
It is our firm conviction that it is neither the role of the state nor of politicians to define how people should live their lives or how many children they should have. However, public policy does have a crucial responsibility to identify and remove the structural barriers that prevent individuals and families from having the number of children they desire.
Declining fertility and historically low birth rates constitute one of Europe's greatest long-term challenges.
Many people find modern life increasingly stressful and time-consuming, which makes starting a family more difficult. Housing shortages and economic uncertainty are other significant obstacles.
Others point to the influence of social media, widening differences in values and expectations between women and men, and growing pessimism about the future driven by war, economic instability and climate concerns.
The report highlights Sweden and Denmark as countries with successful family policies. It is true that gender equality, generous family benefits and extensive childcare provision have, for many years, enabled more people to start families and have children. However, this is no longer the full picture. Despite considerable research and numerous attempts to explain the trend, there is still no simple or definitive answer as to why Swedish and Danish families, too, are now choosing to have fewer children.
Whatever the reasons behind low and declining birth rates, we must address their consequences. In the long term, a shrinking working-age population will have to support a growing number of elderly people who have left the workforce. This will place considerable pressure on both welfare systems and pension schemes.
Some argue that increased immigration is the solution. I do not share that view. Immigration may alleviate certain demographic challenges in the short term, but it is not a sustainable long-term solution to Europe's fertility crisis. Sweden demonstrates that excessively high levels of immigration can also create significant integration challenges.
Ignoring the profound demographic changes facing our countries is not an option. On the contrary, we must confront them with openness, serious analysis and policies that strengthen people's ability to create the families they themselves wish to have.
Thank you, Madam President.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:11:46
Thank you. And on behalf of the European Conservatives, Patriots & Affiliates, I call Ms Patrícia ALMEIDA. The floor is yours.
Portugal, CEPA, Porte-parole du groupe
18:11:56
Madam Chair,
Colleagues,
The original motion placed support for families, the protection of motherhood, work-life balance, access to housing and better economic conditions for those who choose to have children at the heart of the response to Europe's demographic decline.
The report before us today departs in several respects from that original approach. It introduces elements that could even be described as a somewhat woke agenda, moving us away from the central issue we are supposed to address.
The traditional family is a fundamental unit of society and should have a central place in any European strategy for demographic renewal. If we want generational renewal, we must create the conditions in which Europeans who wish to start a family and have children are actually able to do so.
It is also in this context that we reject the idea that immigration can provide the solution to Europe's demographic challenge. The report itself acknowledges that migration may help to alleviate certain labour shortages, but that it cannot by itself compensate for an ageing population or persistently low birth rates.
At the same time, immigration now represents a significant share of the population in many European countries. Large-scale immigration is reshaping societies, placing additional pressure on public services such as education and healthcare, and contributing to already severe housing shortages.
We cannot ignore what is happening today in France, just a few hundred metres from this building, nor what is happening in Belgium, Germany and across Europe, including in my own country, Portugal, where immigrants already account for around 14% of the resident population (and that figure includes only those who are officially registered) following years of open-door immigration policies pursued by the left.
Europe's demographic future must be built first and foremost by supporting European families and enabling new generations to flourish in their own countries. It must be built by children who go to school, not by those who set schools on fire.
Thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:14:34
Thank you. And on behalf of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, I call Ms Béatrice FRESKO-ROLFO to speak.
The floor is yours.
Monaco, ADLE, Porte-parole du groupe
18:14:46
Thank you, Madam Chair,
Dear colleagues,
I would first of all like to thank the rapporteur, Mr Georgios STAMATIS, for the quality and balance of this report.
This report has the merit of making the right assessment. This is not a disaster, but a major shift that calls for a coherent response, rather than a series of piecemeal measures. Above all, it reminds us that the aim is not to pressure people into having children, but to remove the obstacles preventing them from realising their family plans.
Many young people say they would like to have two children or more, but end up with fewer children than they had envisaged, or even none at all. Why? Because between the very real obstacles – such as job insecurity, the cost of living, access to housing, continuing education, and the still unequal distribution of family responsibilities – all these factors create very real barriers.
The problem, therefore, is not necessarily one of desire; it is one of the conditions under which that desire can become a reality. However, population policies can change radically when social and economic realities shift. China is a perfect example of this. Having previously imposed strict limits on the number of births, it is now encouraging families to have more children.
One question strikes me as just as crucial: what do we mean when we talk about family policy? If we want to build a Europe that is truly family-friendly, we must accept the diversity of families. A credible family policy must take into account single-parent families, families dealing with disability, blended families, and also rainbow families, because supporting the family cannot mean establishing a hierarchy among families. On the contrary, it must mean enabling every family to benefit from dignified and fair conditions in which to raise their children.
This approach is, moreover, fully in line with European social rights. Family policy must therefore be conceived as a policy of protection and equality, and not as a tool designed to impose a particular family model.
I would like to place particular emphasis on rainbow families. In several European states, they still face legal and administrative barriers that can undermine the recognition of their family life and, above all, place children in a situation of uncertainty that should not exist.
If we truly wish to build a family-friendly Europe, no child should have the recognition of their family made dependent on its composition or on their parents’ sexual orientation. The response to the demographic challenge cannot, therefore, be purely quantitative. It must also be qualitative, creating the economic, social and legal conditions that enable all those who wish to start a family to do so with dignity, security and equality.
It is in this spirit that I shall support this draft resolution.
Thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:17:47
Thank you [spoken in French].
And now I call on behalf of the Group of the Unified European Left, Ms Sevilay ÇELENK.
The floor is yours.
Türkiye, GUE, Porte-parole du groupe
18:17:57
Thank you, Chair.
Thank you, rapporteur.
On behalf of my political group, I sincerely thank the rapporteur for this thoughtful report.
I would like to highlight two strengths. First, the report does not reduce the demographic future to population growth. People are not statistics and the report rightly bases policy on individuals' rights and free choices. Second, its progressive approach to social rights: affordable housing, accessible childcare, parental leave, secure employment and young people's economic independence. Low birth rates stem from economic insecurity and unequal care work and the report diagnoses this correctly.
However, I would like to add or elaborate a few points.
First, violence against women should be framed as a human rights violation in its own right. It violates women's right to life, safety and bodily integrity, regardless of any link to family formation or demographics. Every woman must be protected, whether or not she marries or has children.
Second, reproductive health services should be defined more broadly. Services for those who want children are detailed, those for people choosing not to have children are not. Sexual health services, modern contraception and safe abortion should be explicitly listed.
Third, voluntary and involuntary childlessness should be clearly distinguished. Removing barriers for those who cannot have children is legitimate. But choosing not to have children is not a demographic deficit to be corrected, it is a legitimate life choice too.
Fourth, the report rightly recognises single-parent and rainbow families and we welcome this. Family-friendly policies should not make any way of life more desirable than others. People living alone, those without children and LGBTI people must have equal legitimacy.
Finally, a warning from my country, Türkiye. There, "family-based justice and rights" discourse is mostly used against women's achievements. Debates on low birth rates and ageing often carry implicit, even open, racist and discriminatory prejudice. Refugees, Kurds and communities outside the dominant Turkish identity are portrayed as a "demographic threat". Demographic concerns must not pave the way for such language. This Assembly should take a clear stand against this discrimination.
Thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:21:00
Thank you.
On behalf of the Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group, I call Baroness Ruth HUNT to speak. The floor is yours.
Royaume-Uni, SOC, Porte-parole du groupe
18:21:10
On behalf of the Socialists, Democrats and Greens Group, I welcome this report, and particularly its starting point: our response to demographic change must be based on people’s rights, choices and aspirations, not simply on numerical targets.
Europe’s demographic challenges are real. An ageing population and a shrinking workforce will have profound consequences for our economies, our public services and the sustainability of our social model.
But if we want more Europeans to feel able to have children, and have more children than they want, we must start by listening to what young people are telling us about the barriers they face.
For too many, secure work comes later. Affordable housing is increasingly out of reach. Childcare is expensive or unavailable. The cost of raising a family has increased. And women still carry a disproportionate share of unpaid care.
These are not marginal issues. They are at the heart of demographic policy.
Our answer cannot be to ask women to choose between having a family and having a career. Nor should we romanticise a past in which that choice was too often made for them.
Instead, our task is to create the conditions in which people can make their own choices.
That means decent, secure work and fair wages. It means affordable housing so that young people can actually establish independent lives. It means high-quality childcare, properly paid parental leave for mothers and fathers, and workplaces which recognise that raising children and caring for others are responsibilities shared across society.
And we must recognise the reality of modern Europe: there is no single model of the European family.
Families are large and small. They are headed by couples and by single parents. They are blended families, adoptive families and same-sex families. As a godparent to more than 10 children, it takes a village. What matters is that children are loved, safe, secure and supported, and that families are treated with dignity and without discrimination.
That principle should also extend to those who need help to become parents. Fertility treatment and reproductive healthcare should be accessible on the basis of need, not wealth, geography or whether someone’s family happens to fit a particular traditional model.
Supporting parenthood and supporting women’s equality are not competing objectives. On the contrary, this report recognises that gender inequality itself can make forming a family more difficult.
Colleagues, demographic renewal will not come from telling Europeans how they should live their lives. It will come from giving them the security and freedom to build the lives they want.
A genuinely family-friendly Europe is therefore also a fairer Europe: one with decent work, affordable homes, strong public services, shared responsibility for care and equality between women and men.
Thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:24:14
Thank you.
And now we move to the speakers' list in the debate.
I call next Mr Cerni ESCALÉ from Andorra. You have 2 minutes. The floor is yours.
Thank you, Madam President.
Colleagues,
Europe has a demographic challenge. It is not simply that too few children are being born. It is that many people are unable to build the life they want. This, of course, involves protracting the decision to have children as well.
Andorra is a revealing case. Our population has grown more than 10% over the last three years, and fertility rates stand very low at 0.83 children per woman. This is the lowest in Europe and second lowest in the world. We are a case example of how, when housing is less affordable, when public services are under pressure, and young adults postpone independence, a country may certainly grow economically, and yet become less cohesive and less resilient.
We fully support the spirit of this resolution. People need affordable homes, stable and fairly paid work, accessible childcare, and the confidence that becoming a parent will not mean sacrificing a career or economic security. And this stability is also paramount for companies and for the broader economic ecosystem.
Demographic policy can become a long-term national strategy linking housing, family policy, migration, territorial planning and public services. Its measure of success is very simple: can young people imagine a future in their country? Can families live with security?
If the answer is yes, demographic renewal will follow, not through pressure, but through trust.
Quality of life policies ought to be not at the periphery, but at the very centre of the work we do in this Assembly. I come from a very small place. Our voice is seldom the loudest, but it is my opinion that we can do more on economic security, and we nonetheless wholeheartedly applaud this resolution.
Thank you, Madam President.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:26:50
Thank you.
Our next speaker is Ms Ivanka VASILEVSKA from North Macedonia. The floor is yours.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Dear colleagues,
Demographic change is no longer a distant projection of the future. It is already reshaping the social and economic fabric of our societies. In our country, this transformation is particularly visible through the sustained decline in births, negative natural population growth and a fertility rate below the level required for long-term population replacement. In 2023, the total fertility rate stood at 1.48 live births per woman, while the number of live births fell by 7.4% compared with the previous year.
These figures should not be read merely as demographic statistics. Behind them lie decisions about when to start a family, whether to have children, how many children to have and whether young people perceive their future as sufficiently secure to make such decisions. Our demographic renewal therefore requires a policy perspective that goes beyond pronatalist measures and addresses the wider conditions in which family life takes shape.
For the Republic of North Macedonia, this means placing the family within a broader framework of economic security, accessible healthcare, quality education, employment, housing and reconciliation between professional and family life. The objective should not be to prescribe a model of family life, but to ensure that parenthood is a realistic choice rather than a decision constrained by economic uncertainty, inadequate support or limited access to essential services.
This is also the rationale behind measures that directly support people in realising their reproductive choices. The government’s programme envisages the possibility for every woman, regardless of financial status or number of children, to receive up to six publicly funded in-vitro fertilisation procedures. Such measures matter because reproductive capacity and reproductive choice are not always the same thing. Public policy has a legitimate role in reducing the financial and institutional barriers that can prevent individuals and couples from realizing their decision to become parents.
Thank you very much.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:29:25
Thank you.
Next speaker is Ms Alexandra SCHOOS from Luxembourg. The floor is yours.
Thank you, Madam President.
Europe’s demographic decline is already putting pressure on our labour markets, our pension systems, our healthcare services and the future of entire regions.
For the Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR), my party in Luxembourg, one question must therefore remain at the centre of this debate: do our policies actually make it easier for people who want a family to have one?
This report rightly identifies the essentials: affordable housing, accessible childcare, stable employment and working conditions that allow parents to combine work and family life.
Luxembourg has invested considerably in childcare and parental leave; those efforts should be recognised. Nevertheless, housing has become so expensive that many young people struggle to buy or rent a home and start a family in their home country.
And this is not only a Luxembourgish issue. Europe’s demographic challenge is twofold. On the one hand, too few children are being born. On the other, many regions are losing their young people who no longer see an affordable or economically viable future at home. A demographic strategy that supports family formation but then loses the next generation because young people see no realistic future at home is not sustainable.
This is why policies on housing, family, employment and territorial cohesion must be considered together.
At the same time, demographic imbalance is putting increasing pressure on our pension systems. In Luxembourg, my party considers that our recent pension reform does not provide any convincing long-term answer to this structural demographic challenge.
We cannot simply let the next generation deal with the consequences of demographic decline. We must address the reasons why family formation is becoming more difficult in the first place. Europe needs policies that give young people confidence: confidence that they can afford a home, build a stable life and, if they wish, raise children in their home country.
Thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:31:50
Thank you.
The next speaker is Ms Orinta LEIPUTĖ from Lithuania. The floor is yours.
Dear colleagues,
Let me start with one number: 1.11.
This was Lithuania's fertility rate in 2024. 1.11 children per woman, according to Eurostat, while the EU average was 1.34. For a country of our size, every child matters. And in 2025, Lithuania recorded one of the third highest negative natural population change rates in the EU.
What is the family-friendly policy? It is a long-term investment in the future of our country. And Lithuania is responding to this challenge. We are providing greater financial security for families. We have increased child benefits and additional support for larger families, families with lower incomes and families raising children with disabilities. We have also increased the payment following the birth of a child.
In 2025, Lithuania allocated an additional 4.46 million euros to the first home support programme for young families. This helped about 1 700 families. Healthcare is also an essential part of family policy. In Lithuania, eligible patients can receive publicly-funded assisted reproduction. Finally, we are investing in our regions.
A young family should be able to build its future not only in our biggest cities, but also in a smaller town or community, with access to job housing, childcare, schools, healthcare and public services. Because demographic policy is about giving people confidence in tomorrow, young people should have the opportunity to build both a successful career and a family.
Thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:34:00
Thank you.
And the next speaker is Mr Balázs TRENTIN from Hungary. The floor is yours.
Thank you.
Madam President,
Dear colleagues,
I am the father of five daughters.
For almost 20 years, I have experienced what it means to raise children, to worry about their future and to hope that one day they will want to start families. The numbers should concern all of us. For the last 14 years, more people have died than have been born in the European Union. But demographic renewal is not simply about numbers. It is about people, security and their confidence in the future.
My country, Hungary, offers an important lesson.
For years, the Orbán government proudly described itself as "family-friendly", while neglecting education, healthcare and child protection and systematically undermining democratic institutions. And the results? Since 2010, our population has shrunk from 10 to 9.5 million. The lesson is clear: you cannot buy your way out of a demographic crisis.
Young people need affordable homes, decent jobs, good schools, childcare and healthcare. But above all, they need to believe in their future. And this is where demography meets democracy. People need security: freedom, rule of law, predictable institutions – and the knowledge that their voice matters.
That is why Hungary must take a different path: zero tolerance for corruption, strong child protection, restored democracy and targeted support for families. Hungary is re-joining Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe. We are introducing back-to-school support and will soon double the family allowance. Because young people need both financial security and the freedom to shape their own future.
Many young Hungarians decide to gain experience elsewhere in Europe. Let their journey be an opportunity, not an escape. We should build a homeland they want to come home to – to live, to start a family and to raise their children. Because demographic renewal and democratic renewal must go hand in hand.
Financial and institutional security. Freedom. Democracy.
And above all: hope in the future.
Thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:36:18
Thank you.
The next speaker is Ms Victoria TIBLOM, from Sweden. The floor is yours.
Thank you, Madam President.
Europe is facing a demographic challenge that we can no longer ignore. Across our continent, birth rates are falling, populations are ageing, and entire communities are shrinking. This threatens our economies, welfare systems and long-term social stability.
The report rightly identifies demographic decline as one of Europe's greatest challenges. It also acknowledges an important reality: migration alone cannot solve it. Migrants grow older too, and fertility rates tend to converge over time. If we want to address demographic decline, we must address its causes.
Too many young Europeans delay starting a family because housing is unaffordable, economic security is lacking, and confidence in the future is weak. Many end up having fewer children than they actually desire.
Our responsibility is not to tell people how many children they should have. Our responsibility is to remove the barriers that prevent them from having the families they want.
Several European countries have demonstrated that family policy matters. Hungary, Poland and others have introduced tax incentives and practical support for parents. In some countries, tax relief increases with each child, recognising the contribution families make to society. Different nations will choose different solutions, but supporting families must be part of the answer.
We should strengthen families, support parenthood, improve access to housing, tackle involuntary infertility and create conditions for stable and secure lives.
I also welcome the report's focus on rural areas. Across Europe, villages and small towns are losing young people, services and opportunities. If this trend continues, regional inequalities will deepen, and social cohesion will suffer.
Europe's demographic future will not be secured by short-term fixes. It will be secured by stronger families, greater confidence in the future and policies that make it easier, not harder, for Europeans to have the children they already wish to have.
Thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:38:49
Thank you.
And the next speaker is Ms Aurora FLORIDIA from Italy. The floor is yours.
President,
Dear colleagues,
Young people are at the heart of our debate today. And this is good.
As a youth rapporteur, I bring you the voice of Europe's younger generations. The stark reality is that young adults across Europe face increasingly long and uncertain transitions into independent living, stable careers and family formation. High housing costs, job insecurity and a shortage of quality public services mean that the dream of starting a family is often postponed for later or even abandoned.
The data is clear: the average age, age of first births continues to rise, while families with three or more children are rare. Many young people desire to have more children, but gaps between their aspirations, needs, financial resources and the reality, the so-called fertility gap, are widening. Young people see a vital link between being able to find decent work and affordable housing and starting a family. When these key stepping stones are missing, parenthood is delayed, sometimes indefinitely.
We need to invest in accessible, affordable education, stable jobs, intergenerational solidarity and a housing market that welcomes first time buyers and renters. We have to facilitate seamless transitions between parental leave and childcare, ensure genuine support for mental health and promote flexible workplaces that allow young parents to balance work, studies and family life.
A family-friendly Europe is about giving young people the freedom to imagine a future and the confidence to build it. If we get the conditions right, families will not have to choose between having children and having a work and a career. They will be able to have both.
Thank you, Mr Georgios STAMATIS, for raising this important issue and pointing us towards possible ways forward. Thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:41:10
Thank you.
The next speaker is Ms Meritxell ALCOBÉ from Andorra. The floor is yours.
Thank you, Madam Chair,
Dear colleagues,
Europe is currently facing significant demographic challenges, notably falling birth rates, an ageing population and the management of migration. These developments have a direct impact on social cohesion, the economy, healthcare systems and the labour market.
In the face of this reality, we must provide comprehensive, coherent and co-ordinated responses. Demographic resilience must be at the heart of our public policies. This particularly involves: access to affordable housing, high-quality public services, decent jobs and a better work-life balance.
The Principality of Andorra is no exception to these challenges. Unfortunately, our birth rate is among the lowest in Europe, and access to housing is now a major concern, particularly for younger generations.
Aware of these issues, the Andorran Government has ensured that family support, rights for young people and access to housing are its priorities.
We know that the decision to start a family depends on many factors. The public authorities cannot make decisions on behalf of citizens, but they can help to create more favourable conditions.
This is why Andorra is gradually extending paternity and maternity leave, to eventually reach 20 weeks for each parent. This measure is designed to provide better support for families and to promote a more balanced sharing of parental responsibilities.
We are also developing a stock of affordable public housing, increasing housing benefits and making it easier for young people to find their first home. We are also working to sustainably increase the supply of affordable housing.
All these measures share the same objective: to reduce the barriers that may prevent citizens from building their lives as they wish.
By creating more stable conditions for families and young people, we are not only strengthening social cohesion but also enhancing our societies’ ability to meet the demographic challenge.
Thank you for your attention.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:43:26
Thank you.
The next speaker is Mr Jan Filip LIBICKI from Poland. The floor is yours.
Madam President,
Dear colleagues,
First of all I would like to thank my friend Mr Georgios STAMATIS for preparing this important report on one of the greatest challenges facing Europe today: the demographic crisis. I would like to briefly highlight two elements that I particularly appreciate.
First, the report rightly draws attention to persons with disabilities and the barriers they face in family life and parenthood. Creating conditions that enable them to start families and raise children is important both for their rights and and for Europe's future.
Second, I appreciate the report's approach to older persons who are presented not as a burden, but as an important asset to society through their activity, independence and contribution to intergenerational solidarity.
However, there are also some formulations in this report with which I cannot agree. The report refers to single parents, families, rainbow families and other new family configurations. This raises a fundamental question. What do we mean by the term "family"?
As a Polish parliamentarian, I must take into account the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. Article 18 clearly states that marriage being a union of a man and woman, as well as the family, motherhood and parenthood, shall be placed under the protection and care of the Republic of Poland. For this, the constitutional provision is clear and cannot be ignored.
Therefore, my dear Georgios, although we are united by friendship, mutual respect and many shared views, I will not be able to vote in favour on this report. I thank you for the enormous amount of work you have put into preparing it.
Thank you very much, Madam President.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:45:37
Thank you.
And the next speaker is Ms Jurgita ŠUKEVIČIENĖ from Lithuania. The floor is yours.
Dear Madam President,
Dear colleagues,
I'd like to thank Mr Georgios STAMATIS for approaching demographic change through the lives and choices of people. Across Europe, young adults face expensive housing, uncertain work and difficulties in combining employment with family life. These barriers deserve our attention.
A family-friendly Europe begins with practical conditions: affordable childcare, parental leave that mothers and fathers can use, access to housing and dependable services beyond major cities. Families also need protection from discrimination linked to pregnancy or caring responsibilities. Support should reach families in different circumstances, including single parents and families caring for a person with a disability.
The report rightly asks us to think beyond birth rates alone. Demographic change also calls for healthy ageing, opportunities for young people in their home regions and long-term planning for public services. Migration can contribute to addressing labour shortages, but it cannot replace sustained support for families and communities.
As for Lithuania, as for many European countries, these questions require a coherent response across social, economic and regional policy, just like my colleague has already mentioned in her speech. Let us give people the confidence and genuine freedom to build the lives and families they choose and deserve.
Thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:47:34
Thank you.
The next speaker is Ms Cristina Gabriella DUMITRESCU from Romania. The floor is yours.
Thank you.
Dear colleagues,
It is true that we are facing population ageing, low birth rates, and the depopulation of rural and peripheral regions. It's sad that, over the last 10 years, deaths have outnumbered births. Most of the measures in the draft resolution to strengthen family support are welcome.
Young people put off starting a family or having kids because they lack the assurance of financial stability. We need long-term policy planning and social investment to preserve prosperity and enhance well-being, so that young people can be confident they will be able to have a home and a job after finishing university. All our countries need economic predictability from the government.
This is the main solution to encourage the birth rate, alongside specific measures.
We cannot agree with paragraph 9, where you are saying that the Assembly considers that migration can help to alleviate demographic imbalances.
Abandon, dear colleagues, the idea of the Great Replacement. We are Christians, and that is how we wish to remain. We are Europeans, and that is the way we wish to remain. And the original and Christian family consists of a man and a woman. Try to keep that in mind as well.
Thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:49:34
Thank you. And next speaker is Ms Manuelle OUDAR from Canada. The floor is yours.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Dear colleagues,
I would first like to thank the rapporteur, Mr Georgios STAMATIS, for his work on an issue that affects all our societies. I would like to welcome all my colleagues from the Canadian delegation who are here with me today.
The Canadian experience clearly illustrates some of the findings set out in this report. As Prime Minister Mark CARNEY emphasised before the European Parliament, Canada and Europe are bound by shared values and a common commitment to building prosperous and resilient societies. As a European by birth and now a proud Canadian, I can only applaud the excellent work of the Prime Minister of Canada and welcome this partnership for a future full of hope.
The demographic challenges highlighted in this report by Mr Georgios STAMATIS are a shared reality. The rate in Canada is lower than the European rate. Decisions to start a family or have children are deeply personal. However, they are also influenced by very practical factors. The cost of housing, access to childcare, the work-life balance and economic security can have a significant impact on the ability of individuals and families to realise their plans.
As the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) points out, many people face barriers that prevent them from having the number of children they would like. This is an important distinction. According to the Fund, the real crisis lies not simply in changing fertility rates, but in the barriers to freedom of choice regarding childbearing.
This invites us to consider demographic renewal not solely in terms of figures, but also in terms of people’s ability to choose freely whether they wish to have children, when they wish to have children and under what circumstances.
That is why public policies should, above all, seek to reduce the economic and social barriers to parenthood.
I would like to thank the rapporteur once again for this excellent work, and I hope that our Assembly will help to promote a balanced and people-centred approach.
Thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:52:03
Our next speaker is Ms Denitsa SACHEVA from Bulgaria.
Madam President,
Dear colleagues,
When we discuss Europe's demographic future, we often begin with a number: the birth rate. But I would like us to begin with a family.
Imagine a woman and a man who want a child but cannot find a home they can afford. Imagine a single mother trying to keep her job when childcare ends before her working day does. Imagine a couple raising children while caring for parents who are living longer and need more support.
These are not separate social problems. Together, they are the daily reality of Europe's demographic transformation.
The family of the future will often be smaller. It may include four living generations. Its members may live in different cities or countries. Some children will grow up with one parent, others in blended families. Technology will help families stay connected, learn and organise care. But it will also raise difficult questions about children's privacy, attention and trust.
Our institutions still expect families to provide care as though someone is always available at home. For many households, this is simply impossible.
This is why I welcome Mr Georgios STAMATIS report. It asks us to support people's choices and the conditions in which they make them. No government can order a young couple to have a child. But governments can remove the obstacles that make a wanted child feel unaffordable or incompatible with work. They can make it easier to find a home, secure childcare, care for an older parent and remain in employment.
For me, supporting the family also means respecting its responsibility and freedom. Public policy should strengthen families' ability to make their own decisions. Employers, communities and public services all have a role to play.
Let us ask a better question than "How do we raise the birth rate?" Let us ask: "Can people build the family life they hope for, and can they care for one another throughout longer lives?" If Europe can answer that question with practical, lasting policies, demographic renewal may follow.
Thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:54:19
Thank you. The next speaker is Mr Sam RUSHWORTH from United Kingdom. The floor is yours.
Thank you.
I thank Mr Georgios STAMATIS for his report, which I think links the private choices that each couple and family makes with the demographic change that Europe is experiencing and the collective good.
I don't think that the answer to the problem is increased immigration, while I recognise the benefits that immigration brings to my country. I was recently in Nigeria where they asked us to please stop stealing their health workers.
It is indeed that we need to make better family life for the people of Europe. And the young and the rising generation in particular are facing a crisis. They're stuck. They're no longer adults, but they're still often living at home, unable to move on in their lives because they're priced out of owning a home. In the United Kingdom, when my parents bought a house, the average house was three times the average salary. Today it's about 12 times the average salary. So you can see the problem.
But the working people of Europe have always come up with the solutions to improving family life. The people that brought you the weekend were the trade unions. The Equality Act in our country protects a woman's right to not be dismissed for being pregnant. Flexible working, parental leave, job security are all important. And our new Labour government is introducing breakfast clubs in schools to help with the morning rush, extending free school meal provision and free childcare.
I'm also advocating in our Parliament for extended paternity leave. It may surprise many European colleagues who have a better system that we only get two weeks in the United Kingdom as a new father, often trying to support a mother who may still be recovering from surgery. And so I do believe that these are the answers. And I recommend the recommendations in this report and support them.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:56:30
Thank you.
And the next speaker is Mr Bernardo PESSANHA from Portugal. The floor is yours.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Dear colleagues,
Europe has a serious demographic problem. In my country, Portugal, the fertility rate is only 1.4 children per woman, far below the replacement level.
If we really want demographic renewal, we must make family a priority again. Young people need affordable housing, lower taxes for families, better parental leave and real support to have the children they want.
But being family-friendly must mean more than financial support. It must also mean valuing motherhood and fatherhood, recognising the importance of stable families and ensuring that no woman feels driven to abortion because she lacks economic or social support.
At a time when Europe is deeply concerned about its demographic future, we should also be willing to discuss honestly the very large number of abortions performed across our continent. And our commitment to human dignity should not stop at birth. It must extend to the elderly, the sick and the most vulnerable, with proper care and palliative care.
A family-friendly Europe should be a Europe where welcoming a child is supported, where raising a family is possible, and where human dignity is respected throughout life.
Thank you very much.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
18:58:09
Thank you.
Our next speaker is Ms Regina BASTOS from Portugal. The floor is yours.
Thank you, Madam Chair,
Honourable Members,
I would like to congratulate our colleague Mr Georgios STAMATIS on this important report.
Demographic change in Europe is complex and calls for a responsible and sustainable response.
This requires clear political will. Public policies must enable everyone to choose their own life path: to be able to find accommodation, have a stable job and secure a place at a crèche when returning to work.
This has been a long-standing concern of mine. In 2004, I served as rapporteur for the European Parliament on a report concerning the work-life balance. In it, I advocated for the development of childcare services, paid parental leave, flexible working hours and better support for returning to work.
The EU has made progress since then, but legislation alone is not enough.
It can be difficult to take leave if it results in a significant loss of income or raises fears of professional repercussions. Free childcare is of little use if there are no places available or if its opening hours are incompatible with work. The care of children, people with disabilities and elderly relatives still falls mainly on women. A more equitable sharing of leave and support services are essential to spread these responsibilities more evenly. Opportunities for young people and life in the regions are vital.
Demographic choices are shaped by the interplay of housing, employment, health, migration and the future of local areas.
Thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:00:26
Thank you.
The next speaker is Ms Martina KEMPF from Germany. The floor is yours.
Dear colleagues,
One of the main causes of the falling birth rate in Europe was not addressed in the text: the extremely high abortion rate. In England and Wales, almost one in three children is aborted; in Spain, France and Sweden, one in four. In England, the extremely high figures for the killing of unborn children are also a result of the introduction of telemedicine-assisted abortion during the period of repressive Covid-19 restrictions.
Yet that period is now long behind us. Nevertheless, it is still possible to order abortion pills off Amazon there. Consequently, prenatal infanticide in Western Europe prevents around 13% of births. In this Assembly, calls for the promotion of sexual and reproductive rights are made time and again. Yet many are unaware that this also amounts to the promotion of abortion.
The causes of abortion must be taken into account. Many women feel overwhelmed, as more and more is expected of them to work full-time whilst their children are still very young. Families must be supported and given a break, for we should not remain indifferent to the fact that every year hundreds of thousands of unborn children are killed in Europe, given that even at three months they already have little hands, feet and fingers.
Thank you very much.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:02:00
Thank you.
The next speaker is Mr Rónán MULLEN from Ireland.
My apologies. Thank you again.
And congratulations to colleagues Mr Bernardo PESSANHA and Ms Martina KEMPF for raising the troubling issue of rising abortion rates, which are tragic in themselves but also, of course, a contributor to the demographic crisis.
And to deny that there is a demographic crisis in our continent would be to ignore not just one elephant, but a whole herd of elephants trampling around the room. We mustn't be afraid, friends, to dream of a future where more children will be born, because that is the only way that we can have a decent future.
And I'm grateful to all involved for facilitating an oral amendment today about recognising the social value of marriage for its own sake and for demographic renewal, and calling for policies to promote the personal and social benefits of forming committed relationships and having and bringing up children. Because the right of men and women of marriageable age to get married is, of course, in the European Convention, there is an undeniable, powerful correlation between marriage rates and birth rates.
And at the same time, we know that however much a state might try and should support marriage culturally, a lack of broader economic and structural security may prevent people from marrying and having children in the first place. And that point is brought out well in the report. Those are two ideas we must keep in our minds at the same time. I want to signal that I am withdrawing; in the context of this compromise oral amendment, I am happy to withdraw the amendments that were not successful at committee this morning.
I do want to say that, as a matter of children's rights and as a matter of evidence base, member states must always be able to try and examine what a child's rights demand. And I certainly believe, and I think the evidence supports that, ideally, a child should be brought up with a father and mother, and preferably their own father and mother. But of course, at the same time, we can recognise diversity generously, and we should do so by ensuring that no child is ever left behind. There is a balance that always has to be struck there. And while I withdraw the amendments that in a sense, sought to restore that balance, I do want, you know, to have integrity. I really do think that that continues to need to be heard and said.
So, with thanks to the rapporteur for his work, there is much in this report that is good.
There are other things I would like to see there, but compromise is part of the art of respectful politics.
Thank you very much.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:04:44
Thank you.
And the next speaker is Mr Michael BARRETT from Canada. The floor is yours.
We know that we have a demographic challenge. Our birth rates are falling, our populations are getting older and in rural communities we see young people leaving for the cities. And at the heart of that is that it's getting far too expensive and has become too expensive to have a family. And I want to thank the rapporteur for drawing our attention to what we collectively can do to restore affordability for families.
Now, this isn't an abstract issue for me. Along with my wife Amanda, we have five wonderful children, Luke, Ama, Michaela, James and Nathan. They're wonderful. It's the greatest blessing of my life. And I can also recognise that it's really expensive to raise a family. And we need to recognise this not in the abstract, but what does it mean for our communities, and how can we learn from each other?
Now, we know that Canada has a Canada Child Benefit that provides direct support to families. That's an idea. Poland provides direct support on a per-child basis. Hungary uses an innovative method with tax advantages and tax freedom for mothers who raise three or more children. Now, we don't all need to do the same thing, but we do need to do something.
And it is not the government's place to decide who should or shouldn't have a family. That should be left up to individuals to make those choices. But we have to protect against a situation where government policies make it unaffordable to have families. That includes home ownership, that includes our tax system, but also the supports that we are providing.
So not only should government not get in the way; government's role in this is to make sure that we have a system where it's affordable for families that choose to do so. I can tell you firsthand; it's the greatest blessing of my life.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:06:57
Thank you.
And the last speaker on this list will be Mr Vasileios-Nikolaos YPSILANTIS from Greece. The floor is yours.
Chair,
Dear colleagues,
First of all, I would like to congratulate my friend Mr Georgios STAMATIS for the report. I am really sorry, I thought I didn't have enough time to talk but I would like to say it is an excellent report which addresses one of the most important questions for Europe's future.
Our demographic future will depend greatly on whether young people feel confident enough to build their lives, careers and families in their own communities. Europe should use its financial instruments more decisively to support affordable housing, skills, entrepreneurship and stable employment for younger generations.
Coming from the Dodecanese islands, in Greece, I hear a very clear message from young people. They want opportunities for twelve-month employment and a more diversified economy beyond the seasonal cycle of tourism. European cohesion policy can play a stronger role in helping island regions develop new sectors, attract investment, encourage innovation and create quality jobs throughout the year.
Young Europeans need confidence in tomorrow and genuine choices today. Giving them the means to work, create and raise a family where they choose is an investment in Europe's future.
Thank you very much.
(Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2)
Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you very much, Mr Georgios STAMATIS, for this important report.
Colleagues, Europe is ageing. Birth rates are at historically low levels in many Member States, and in certain regions, the loss of young people is accelerating.
But behind these figures there are people, life plans and family decisions. That is why I believe our response must start from a fundamental principle: having children must be a free choice, never an obligation. No one should have to give up their plans for a family because of a lack of opportunities or avoidable economic and social difficulties.
And this is where public policies have an important responsibility.
A family-friendly Europe must make it easier to reconcile work and family life. It must promote access to adequate housing, ensure accessible and high-quality childcare and care services, and provide particular support to families facing vulnerable situations. We must also pay particular attention to women. Motherhood must not become a professional penalty. Reconciliation does not mean that women have to choose between developing their careers and starting a family. It means that both women and men can share responsibilities, and that public policies make this choice possible. As a primary care physician, I would also like to stress that access to healthcare and support services throughout the different stages of life is an essential part of a genuine family policy.
I live in a very rural and ageing area, which is experiencing population decline, as are many rural and peripheral areas across Europe. This means a loss of services, opportunities and territorial cohesion. Supporting young families in these areas is also a way of safeguarding the future of our communities.
Finally, I believe we must avoid simplistic solutions. We need a comprehensive and sustained strategy combining employment, housing, education, healthcare, care services, work-life balance and social protection. Because talking about demographic renewal is, in reality, about asking what kind of Europe we want to leave to future generations.
We need a Europe where young people can build their own lives, start a family if they wish, and have the number of children they want.
A Europe that protects families while fully respecting individual freedom.
Thank you very much.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:09:21
Thank you for this debate.
And now I must 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. Speeches must not exceed 400 words. I remind colleagues that the type-written texts can be submitted, electronically if possible, no later than 4 hours after the list of speakers is interrupted.
So now I call Mr Georgios STAMATIS, rapporteur, to reply. You have 3 minutes.
The floor is yours.
Thank you, Madam President.
Dear colleagues,
I'd like to start by saying that Mr Michael BARRETT mentioned something very important and I think maybe from this we can try to find some answers in our debate. He told us that he has five children but now it's very expensive to have kids. I think this answer gives us some answers about how one pillar is the economic status, about the demographic and about the family. If you give a child an empty white piece of paper, they paint a house.
For me, dear colleagues, the youth needs hope and stability from us and from this report. Elderly people need from us dignity and respect. In all the perspectives that we have in this report, in a few words, we talk about a new social contract. Why do we have these difficulties to create policies that are more family-friendly and relate to the demographic issues?
70 years ago, after the war, we talked only about peace and perspectives about the new day. Now, we say that we have to be more careful. And now the conversation is that we need to buy weapons. Here is the money to support the families. Invest in people, not in weapons. Make peace, not war.
Dear colleagues, I would like to thank you for all your proposals and that you are here for this debate. It's a very difficult question to answer in many ways, if the economy gives us the opportunity and solution, or if not. For us, I think it's better to see what we did wrong in recent years and what we can change for the days to come, especially for youth, for more stable societies. And when we have stable societies, we have democratic societies and we have youth with a future and not policies made without them.
Thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:13:36
Thank you very much, Mr Georgios STAMATIS.
And does the Chair of the Committee of Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development, Ms Saskia KLUIT, want to speak? You have 3 minutes.
Pays-Bas, SOC, Présidente de la commission des questions sociales, de la santé et du développement durable
19:13:50
Thank you very much.
I want to thank also this room, I did it this morning in the Committee, but I think we have a very good debate. And it also shows when you focus on practical issues that prevent people from having children, we can easily move forward. And when we focus on the things that divide us, you have a whole debate with a lot of passion. But you will not have a debate about better housing, you will not have a debate about better jobs, you will not have a debate about room to raise a child for anybody who wants to do that.
Me, myself, I was a very young mother. I was still studying and I was 23. I did this with a guy and I was not married. But I did have a house and I did think I could have a job when I would need one. After some years, the relationship did not work out, so then I was for some years a single mother. I raised by myself two children. And it could only be done because I had a lot of support of the community, my friends, my family. And then I met somebody else and I married him and now I'm a decent married woman for 15 years.
So time and life can change a lot and also bring the perspective from one side to the other. It is not fixed in time, it is for young people also not fixed. I am happy that Mr Georgios STAMATIS made this report focusing on what young people need to raise families and to want to have children. I want to have lots of children. It becomes quiet in cities, it becomes quiet in villages. And I think this is the biggest loss for our continent. Not the jobs, not the economy. For me, the biggest loss is we lose happy children playing on our streets because they bring joy for all.
So, I want to say to the President, I hope we will finish the debate as we started it this morning. I want to thank Georgios for making the report, and I also want to thank the lady, I forgot her name, I'm sorry, but it has been a very long day, for bringing the attention of demographic renewal to our Committee.
Thank you very much.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:16:14
Thank you very much for both of you.
And now the debate is closed.
The Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development has presented a draft resolution (Document 16477) to which 20 amendments have been tabled.
They will be taken in the order in which they appear in the Compendium. I remind you that speeches on amendments are limited to 30 seconds.
I understand that the Chairperson of the Committee wishes to propose to the Assembly that Amendments 9, 12, 1, 2, 17, 18, 19 and 20 to the draft resolution, Document 16477, which were unanimously approved by the Committee, be declared as definitely approved.
Is that so, Ms Saskia KLUIT?
Pays-Bas, SOC, Présidente de la commission des questions sociales, de la santé et du développement durable
19:17:17
Yes [off mic]
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:17:19
So, Amendments 9, 12, 1, 2, 17, 18, 19 and 20 to the draft resolution are therefore approved and will not be called.
I understand that the Chairperson of the Committee wishes to propose to the Assembly that Amendments 5, 7, 4 and 6 to the draft resolution (Document 16477), which was rejected by the Committee with a two-thirds majority, be declared as definitely rejected.
Is that so, Ms Saskia KLUIT?
Pays-Bas, SOC, Présidente de la commission des questions sociales, de la santé et du développement durable
19:17:59
That is the case.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:18:03
The answer is yes.
So Amendments 5, 7...oh, sorry. I ask the Assembly, if no one objects, I will consider the amendments to be rejected. Is there an objection? There is an objection.
Okay, I will ask. We will then need to verify that the objection has the required support of 10 people. So now I ask, please, could those who object raise their hand?
Sorry, you withdraw your objection. Okay, so we go back here.
So Amendments 5, 7, 4 and 6 to the draft resolution are therefore rejected and will not be called.
Thank you. I understand that Mr Rónán MULLEN wishes to withdraw Amendments 11, 10, 13, 15 and 16 in favour of an oral amendment to Paragraph 5.
Is that so, Mr MULLEN?
Yes [off mic].
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:19:29
Okay. I have received an oral amendment from Mr Rónán MULLEN, which reads as follows: in the draft resolution, paragraph 5, insert the following paragraph: "At the same time, the Assembly recognises the social and economic value of marriage for its own sake and for democratic renewal, and calls for policies to promote the personal and social benefits of forming committed relationships and having and bringing up children, always respecting each person's capacity, freedom, aspiration and discernment".
The President may accept an oral amendment on the grounds of promoting clarity, accuracy or conciliation, and if there is no opposition from 10 or more members to it being debated. In my opinion, the oral amendment meets the criteria of Rule 34.7.a. So, is there any opposition to the amendment being debated?
That is not the case.
So, I therefore call Mr Rónán MULLEN to support the oral amendment. You have 30 seconds, please.
I won't take 30 seconds because I explained it in my speech, but I do want to thank Ms Saskia KLUIT for recalling – I think it was Ms Anna ZÁBORSKÁ who originally brought forward this motion, and she is now, I think, gone to her heavenly reward. So I think it's fitting that we would remember her here today.
I've explained why I think that an appropriate reference to marriage and committed relationships is a good idea. And I thank everybody involved, starting with the rapporteur, for accepting this compromise. We don't always get everything that we want, but I think this was an honourable solution to the concern that was raised.
Thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:21:39
Thank you.
Does anyone wish to speak against the oral amendment? No.
The Committee could not take a position on this oral amendment. So, Mr Georgios STAMATIS, rapporteur, what is your opinion on the oral amendment?
Madam President,
I am in favour of this oral amendment, in compromise for a solution and to find a way to put the merits as method.
So, thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:22:18
Good. So I shall now put the oral amendment to the vote.
So the vote is open.
The vote is closed. I call for the result to be displayed.
The oral amendment is agreed.
Now I call Mr Rónán MULLEN to support Amendment 14.
You have 30 seconds.
Microphone, please.
Amendment 14 refers to the value of encouraging governments to convene expert groups on demographic renewal. That this would be an ongoing issue, that governments, and that they promote the identification and exchange of good practices among member states. Thank you.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:23:43
Thank you.
Does anyone wish to speak against the amendment? No.
What is the opinion of the Committee of the amendment?
Pays-Bas, SOC, Présidente de la commission des questions sociales, de la santé et du développement durable
19:23:56
In favour.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:23:59
In favour.
So I shall now put the amendment to the vote. So the vote is open.
And the vote is closed. I call for the result to be displayed.
So the amendment is agreed.
I call Ms Cristina Gabriella DUMITRESCU to support Amendment 8.
You have 30 seconds.
In the draft resolution, we wish to replace this paragraph because we consider that a family consists of a man and a woman.
Thank you very much.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:25:13
Does anyone wish to speak against the amendment?
Chair Saskia KLUIT.
Pays-Bas, SOC, Présidente de la commission des questions sociales, de la santé et du développement durable
19:25:23
In the Committee we have debated this question and we do not agree.
A family can have many forms and should also have many forms if we want to raise the children and increase the families in Europe. So we were against.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:25:44
So I shall now put the amendment to vote.
So, the vote is open.
The vote is closed.
I call for the result to be displayed.
Amendment 8 is rejected.
I call Ms Lesia ZABURANNA to support Amendment 3. You have 30 seconds.
Ms Mariia MEZENTSEVA-FEDORENKO.
Amendment 3?
Yes, Madam Chair, I'm among the movers of the amendment.
So we suggest that tackling gender inequality in parenthood by, we suggest to add it in, introducing through both legal measures and policies, including behavioural change, equal and fair distribution of parental responsibilities between parents.
We spoke about balancing for women, for instance, not to choose between career and parenting, etcetera.
Thank you [spoken in French].
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:27:18
Thank you.
Does anyone wish to speak against the amendment?
Please.
I think the minority view expressed at the Committee this morning was that this was too dirigiste. The goals may be good, we want to encourage sharing of roles very strongly. But the state dictating it to families is the wrong idea of the kind of states we want to live in.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:27:50
Thank you.
And what is the opinion of the Committee of this amendment, Ms Saskia KLUIT?
Pays-Bas, SOC, Présidente de la commission des questions sociales, de la santé et du développement durable
19:27:58
The Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development was in favour.
Finlande, SOC, Présidente de l'Assemblée
19:28:02
So, I shall now put the amendment on the vote.
So, the vote is open.
The vote is closed. I call for the result to be displayed.
So, it's approved.
Amendment 3 is agreed.
We will now proceed to vote on the draft resolution contained in Document 16477 as amended. A simple majority is required.
The vote is open.
The vote is closed. I call for the result to be displayed.
[Applause]
The draft resolution in Document 16477 is adopted. Thank you.
The Assembly will hold its next public sitting tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. with the agenda approved on Monday. The sitting is adjourned.
Thank you very much.
