Dear colleagues,
Please be seated. We are going to start in a minute.
Good morning to all of you.
Dear colleagues,
We will now resume our work.
I hope that you found yesterday's discussion useful and that you enjoyed the reception yesterday evening.
At the meeting this morning the Secretary General of parliaments approved the activity important future priorities of the European center for parliamentary research and documentation. Our conference is invited to take note of them. The documents are available on the conference website.
Before we start our discussion on theme 3 I would like to inform you that we must conclude our debate not later than 12:15 p.m. to hear the conclusions of the conference.
I also remind you that after the conclusions we are all invited to a farewell cocktail that will be served at the Assembly's lobby, approximately at 12:15 p.m.
We shall now continue our proceedings with our third and last theme which is under the title "Violence against politicians".
Today's discussion on violence against politicians is not only welcome and necessary, it has become an emergency.
At our last conference in Dublin on 28 September 2023, we held a well attended and successful pre-conference that allowed us to exchange in the most spontaneous and most frank way possible on this issue that concerns us all personally: hate speech and threats of violence against elected representatives.
Because they have become commonplace, because they potentially jeopardise our political activities or physical integrity, our health and our family life, violence and threats of violence against politicians are a growing concern and a serious challenge to the proper functioning of our democratic societies.
Incidents ranging from verbal abuse and harassment, intimidation to physical attacks, are a direct threat to the proper functioning of democratic governance to political stability, to public safety, and most importantly to the engagements of citizens and civil society.
The growing political polarisation, ideological extremism, inflammatory rhetoric in political discourse, the spread of disinformation that fuels a disconnect with political systems and processes, the race of fake news and deep fake news, irresponsible media coverage – all contribute to an atmosphere that is increasingly fostering hostility and inciting acts of hate speech and threats of violence against elected representatives.
Political violence has a devastating impact on democracy. We need to look at the underlying causes of this violence against elected representatives, the consequences and potential strategies to prevent and address them in order to safeguard democratic processes and protect the individuals who defend them.
For this theme three colleagues will introduce the debate namely Mr Lorenzo FONTANA, president of the Chamber of deputies, Italy; Sir Lindsay HOYLE, Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom; and Ms Urška KLAKOČAR ZUPANČIČ, President of the National Assembly, Slovenia.
I will now give the floor to our Italian colleague, Mr Lorenzo FONTANA, president of the Chamber of deputies, Italy.
Mister Speaker, you may have the floor.
Président de la Chambre des Députés, Italie
10:17:03
"Good morning and thank you very much" [spoken in English].
Thank you to the President of the parliamentary assembly.
Thank you to all the Presidents and Vice-Presidents of parliaments and all the guests.
You see I think this issue is definitely crucial for democracy. Violence against different politicians comes in different forms. From hate speech, to physical assault, to unfortunately even very serious cases, much more serious, even costing lives sometimes.
It is certainly a disturbing phenomenon, one that has a serious impact, and one that creates enormous difficulties especially for the resilience of democratic systems. Because democracy is precisely the opposite of violence, democracy is the place where one should at least try to listen to each other instead. Its extreme danger was also pointed out recently at the Fourth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe held in Iceland on May 16 and 17, 2023.
Long committed to preventing and countering hate speech, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is preparing a specific report for which the chair of the Italian delegation Elisabetta Gardini, whom I greet and thank, will be rapporteur.
These violent acts are increasing in Europe, and not only in Europe. If in the past heinous violence was politically motivated, today it is directed not only at the politician as such, but at the person, who is attacked for his or her personal beliefs.
Also changing the current scenario are the internet and social media. Their characteristics can sometimes unfortunately amplify the spread of hostile and denigrating content, they can create virtual communities where misinformation pollutes public debate, where the expression of one's thoughts can degenerate into behaviour that violates the fundamental rights of the person.
The causes of this phenomenon are many and complex, all of them, however, sink into the gap that has been created over time between citizens and institutions. The global crises of the 21st century have contributed to generating a sense of bewilderment, precariousness, and insecurity, increasingly eroding trust in politics.
Today, therefore, politics has a responsibility to respond more effectively and concretely to citizens' expectations, rebuilding the relationship of trust that is essential to democracy.
Our democracy is by its very nature open and participatory, and different, even opposing ideas co-exist in it. This characteristic may make it appear changeable, fragile at times, but it is essential to believe in politics, in its ability to rebuild models of democratic coexistence from time to time, capable of meeting the challenges of the moment.
To restore trust and certainty, therefore, we must bring the focus back to the quality and ethics of our action. It is essential to bring citizens closer to institutions, which are often perceived as reference points far removed from people's real needs. We need to strengthen communication and listening channels, forms of participation in decision-making.
In this regard, I recall that the Italian Chamber of Deputies is working on a platform for, for example, signing and sending online petitions and artificial intelligence applications to offer interactive communication on the institutional website of the Chamber of Deputies about parliamentary work and activities.
To counter the discrediting of politics, it is also necessary to cultivate dialogue, confrontation and respect even in the diversity of opinions, I would say especially in the diversity of opinions. We first have a duty to set an example, exercising the right to criticise and denounce, but in a fair and respectful manner.
I believe that the adoption of codes of conduct and their observance, can help improve the general climate. It is clear that the work ahead of us is not an easy one: the parliamentary assemblies we represent are committed to the front lines of affirming the value of democratic confrontation and opposing all forms of violence.
I am equally convinced and confident that this forum will be able to make a significant contribution to addressing an issue that remains complex, but which is the decisive challenge for the future of our democracy.
Thank you all and good work.
Thank you, Mister President.
Of course, with your contribution, the speakers of the parliaments who gave us the honour to be with us today, this Assembly, will take into consideration your speeches, and I believe that we will soon come back with countable results on our common purpose.
I will now call Sir Lindsay HOYLE, Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, to take the floor.
Président de la Chambre des Communes, Royaume-Uni
10:24:00
Mister President, colleagues,
Can I thank you personally for bringing us together once again to discuss the importance of democracy and the protection of politicians. We always talk about protecting politicians. I think it's important to be clear who and what we are trying to protect.
This isn’t just about our people. It's about our parliamentary systems which symbolise our democracies, our freedoms, our way of life, and it is democracy that needs defending along with our colleagues. At the most fundamental level, we must always ensure that our elected representatives, and those who work with them, have the protection they need, both to be safe and to feel secure enough to continue to participate in the democratic process.
And this is getting increasingly difficult to achieve in the UK, and across Europe.
In 2016 we lost Ms Jo COX, an inspirational young woman politician with a great future ahead, who was going to possibly be a leader of the Labour Party, shot and stabbed in a brutal act of terrorism.
And in 2021, my friend and colleague, Sir David AMESS, a Member of Parliament, who was stabbed and killed while working in his constituency.
Jo and David were only helping others, serving our nation.
They never deserved to die.
Several other MPs have survived attacks, and one aide was murdered during an attack.
It was shocking and heartbreaking to think that being a Member of Parliament, representing a constituency’s interests, is one of the riskiest professions in the country. And I know many, if not all of us here today, will know a colleague who has experienced an attack, who has received a death threat or who has suffered such abuse and intimidation that they have decided to step back from their role. It is that that worries me.
Our democracy is always going to be fragile, but we are only as good as good as the next generation that takes over from us. We aren't the future: it is the young people who are the future. We have to make sure that democracy is there for them, and that they recognise the importance of taking up the role that we are holding at the moment.
I say: up until Ms Jo COX was murdered, the UK parliamentary authorities did not provide any security measures to MPs once they left parliament.
That changed overnight. I was commissioned, and ensured that we did a further review of these measures after Sir David AMESS was murdered. The measures have continued to grow in the face of new threats.
And we must not forget about the direct threat on the UK parliament where we saw an attack on the bridge, on Westminster Bridge, where people were mowed down by a vehicle, and the fact that he ran into parliament and it was Mr Keith PALMER, our village policemen who stood between him and democracy. And Keith also paid the ultimate sacrifice when he was also stabbed to death.
We provide physical security measures at homes and constituency offices. We provide security operatives and close protection for constituency surgeries and events; we have taxis, cyber security assistance, security awareness training. The list goes on and on. We also carry personal alarms that you can press any time, where GPS can tell us exactly where that Member of Parliament is.
We have all these measures but I am increasingly clear that these measures, intended to reduce the vulnerability of our parliamentarians, is not enough.
We need to understand the underlying causes of the violence and threats, to ensure that we have the capabilities, legislation, joined up systems and political will to pursue those who would wish our parliamentarians harm. We need to reduce the threat.
Understanding the threat, the underlying causes of violence, is key.
In order to do this, we need to work with all of our partners: police, government, including security and intelligence services, commercial partners and platforms, and our sister parliaments overseas, to share our understanding of the data points.
It’s essential that we learn from each other’s experiences.
Seen from the key perspective, there are several key factors which combine to create an environment in which harassment and intimidation against politicians thrive:
First, social media.
We have all seen the way in which the anonymity of social media stokes behaviours and hate speech which few would put their names to in real life. And the fact that a lot of those threats come after 12:00 a.m. – I call them "chardonnay warriors" – 1:00 a.m. in the morning where they've had too many glasses, they feel the protection that they can go on there and issue threats against any one of us, vile threats, the worst of all – it is usually aimed at women politicians in particular. That is the other worry. We've got to stop that “pile on” which can quickly develop, radicalising and inciting others, which is relatively rare for this to move into physical violence. The impact of a sustained campaign can be devastating of a night, and it is the mental health of not only MPs and their staff, families that suffer as well.
And politicians are increasingly viewed as “fair game” as the social media platforms’ willingness and capability to moderate hate speech has all but dissolved in recent times.
And the levels of abuse are particularly acute for female, ethnic minority politicians.
And as our politics have become more polarised and divisive, it is the intolerance and extremism has holds us, and hopefully more generally, this has been directly reflected in violence against our politicians. It cannot be tolerated
It was a far-right extremist who murdered Ms Jo COX, it was an Islamic extremist who murdered Sir David AMESS and our policeman.
More recently, following the tragic events of October 2023 and subsequently in the Middle East, we have seen how global events can impact on local community tensions in the UK, resulting in a significant spike in threats and physical intimidation of MPs.
Nearly a year on, this affected how many were able to campaign and engage with their prospective constituencies.
Changing social norms are also having an impact.
The UK Electoral Commission recently carried out some important research which showed that while most people over 60 thought it was unacceptable to abuse MPs online, most people under 30 thought we were fair game.
That is a vast generational divide, and that's why politicians at some point have got to think about legislating against social media platforms to make them accurate in what they allow on there.
I think we have a lot to learn from our colleagues in Finland and elsewhere who prioritise civics in their education system.
It is clear that if we all allow the current levels of violence and intimidation to continue, this will have a lasting impact on our democracies.
It is clear in the UK that we need a co-ordinated response across the police and judicial system to ensure that the availability of legislative powers are applied consistently and effectively.
But some of the answer is in our own hands as politicians and legislators: what balance do we strike between freedom of speech and protection of the individual in our countries? How do we ensure that it is adhered to by the social media platforms? I say, we must need and think about legislation. We're happy to do it with TV, radio, newspapers while the social media platforms have a free run
And finally, you know, we talk about politicians – we have a responsibility to engage in debate which sometimes is robust, but we all must be respectful and must never stoop to the personalised attacks which themselves fuel the vicious cycle of violence to our politicians.
And of course cyber is a big threat to us all as well. It is a threat to democracy. It is a threat to how we carry out our elections.
And I finish on this, that when we see a war in Europe that is being carried out by troops from Asia, from North Korea, we should be worried, because this is us, the democratic world, versus the undemocratic world.
We are seeing a unification of those who don't have our values, who don't believe in our freedoms. They will fight us all the way: the sovereign rights of Ukraine must never ever be forgotten. We must be united in our support for the people of the sovereign nation of Ukraine. PUTIN must never win. PUTIN's allies must never win.
We must protect democracy. We are the elected politicians. So please, let us unite and support and continue to ensure that Ukraine remains in democracy.
If they fall, we all fall. Let us stand together. Thank you.
[Applause]
Thank you, Sir Hoyle, for your very lively introductiom
I will now give the floor to Ms Urška KLAKOČAR ZUPANČIČ, President of the Slovenian National Assembly.
Présidente de l’Assemblée nationale, Slovénie
10:34:41
Dear ladies and gentlemen,
For all of the progress we have made in democracy and human rights, we are increasingly confronted with a phenomenon that threatens the very foundations of our society: violence against politicians.
This violence is not limited to physical attacks. Disturbingly, verbal violence, threats, harassment and psychological pressure is on the rise.
In recent years this trend has become even more alarming, particularly for women in politics. Such violence not only endangers our personal security but also undermines democratic processes and erodes trust in institutions.
Women in politics are disproportionately targeted with threats, hate speech and degrading insults. Often, this verbal violence takes the form of horrific sexual threats and dehumanising rhetoric.
Even more concerning is its rapid proliferation online where anonymity emboldens perpetrators and hate speech spreads unchecked. Social media algorithms further exacerbate the problem, amplifying divisive content and trapping individuals in echo chambers that reinforce hostility and aggression.
Verbal violence on online platforms amplified by digital algorithms can have deeply destructive long-term effects. It is more than just words – it is an abuse of power, a tool designed to instil fear, create insecurity and ultimately silence individuals.
While physical violence is clearly defined and widely recognised as a criminal act, verbal violence is often harder to prove, and too frequently dismissed as less harmful. Yet its consequences can be just as devastating, eroding political disclosure and profoundly affecting individual well-being.
Rather than fostering a more open and democratic society, social media platforms have in many cases become breeding grounds for new forms of violence against women: hate speech, misogyny, aggression and sexism are not just present, they are systematically reproduced and amplified.
The goal of such attacks is clear: to intimidate women in politics, to obstruct their participation and ultimately to push them out of the public sphere and back into the private domain.
And believe me, I speak from my own experience. I have faced every stage of these attacks first hand. It began during the pre-election period when online platforms – especially, let's be honest, Twitter or X – became a breeding ground for hostility. The discourse there, particularly in the lead-up to the elections, was rife with sexism, violence and misogyny. And I was not the only target: women politicians who were gaining traction in the polls or actively engaging in public debates and campaigning events, both online and offline, were met with the same wave of vitriol.
The attacks escalated after I was elected and elevated to the office of President to the National Assembly, the first woman in my country's history to occupy this position. The backlash was immediate. Following my inaugural address, social media erupted – not with discussions about my speech, but with comments dissecting my appearance, my outfit and most absurdly, the colour of my shoes, which was the same as it is today. The substance of my words was entirely overlooked and since that moment the negativity has not subsided. On the contrary; the discourse has grown more hostile, more misogynistic.
Tragically these attacks are not just about me. They are directed at all women who dare to step into the public sphere: leaders of political parties, journalists, activists and women at the forefront of social and political change.
I am joined today by the head of the Slovenian delegation to this esteemed institution which has graciously welcomed us. My fellow member, Ms Tamara VONTA, faces relentless verbal attacks and threats, so severe that both the police and judiciary have had to intervene, and why? Simply because she stands firm in her convictions, speaking out in defence of vulnerable groups and advocating for human rights and the rule of law.
It is deeply troubling that the results of a recently published study in Slovenia – which I believe is also relevant for broader European societies – shows a clear pattern: politically active women, particularly those aligned with or supportive of left leaning parties, are disproportionately targeted. The perpetrators more often than not are affiliated with or supportive of right wing political parties. And this is true: while there are instances where women from conservative parties also face such attacks, sometimes from across the political spectrum, their cases remain far less frequent.
Above all, we see a clear distinction. While violence against men in politics is primarily ideological, violence against women is in most cases gendered and sexual. Neither form is acceptable of course, but gender-based violence in politics presents a formidable barrier to women's participation. Its prevalence and impunity send a dangerous message. That is simply the price women must pay for engaging in public life.
This perception discourages many women from entering politics in the first place. The problem is further exacerbated by the anonymity of social media, but abuse often goes punished and is even defended under the guise of free speech.
Worse still, such attacks do not always come from anonymous trolls, no no no. They sometimes come from our fellow politicians, including women. Sadly this is not uncommon.
This is why, dear colleagues, we must do everything in our power to curb these attacks and their consequences.
The first and most crucial step is an unequivocal condemnation of such violence at every level, from political parties to the media. We must make it clear that there is no place for such behaviour in a democratic society. Politicians, journalists and the broader public must take responsibility in combating both physical and verbal violence.
Creating a safe and supportive environment for women in politics is essential. This means not only strengthening legislation to protect women political leaders from violence, such as enforcing strict regulations on hate speech online, but also fostering a cultural shift. We must raise awareness that verbal violence is unacceptable, educate the public on its consequences and promote respect for different opinions through targeted information campaigns.
Given the outsized role of social media in amplifying these problems, we as legislators have a duty to ensure that hate speech is held accountable online. The legal framework must be strengthened so that those who spread threats and incite violence face real consequences.
Ultimately we must work together to create an environment where violence, whether physical or verbal, has no place. Politicians across the political spectrum – journalists, activists and citizens alike – must all recognise that such attacks are unacceptable.
A society that values human rights, equality and dignity cannot tolerate such behaviour.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Much work remains to be done, but we have both the power and the responsibility to act. By taking decisive steps, we can build a safer, more respectful and ultimately stronger society.
And I'm telling you because to be really honest, I don't know how long I'm going to cope with this. It's threatening my family. It's threatening the people around me. And when it comes to attacks, whether it be physical or verbal, to my children, then we have really failed.
Let's not fail.
Thank you.
[Applause]
Madam Speaker,
Thank you so much for your moving speech and for your personal insights, which I believe that we all share in different ways each of us in his or her own country.
Dear colleagues,
It was the conclusion of the introduction to our debate by the speaker, Ms Urška KLAKOČAR ZUPANČIČ.
And now I will open the list of speakers, calling first Ms Andrea EDER-GITSCHTHALER who is the speaker of the Federal Council of Austria.
Dear Andrea, I welcome you back. Because I want you to know that Andrea was a very prominent member of our Assembly for a long time.
You have the floor.
Présidente du Bundesrat, Autriche
10:45:00
Dear Mister President
Dear Secretary General
Dear colleagues
Ladies and gentlemen,
First of all, many thanks to the keynote speaker: you have spoken from the heart. And I think it is very, very important that we, as politicians, take a great deal of responsibility for this issue today and raise awareness. This is important and necessary for our political action, because today, when we as democrats look at the facts on violence as a means of political debate, we see that the result is unfortunately alarming. We have already heard that physical and psychological violence is unfortunately a part of everyday political life that office holders have to reckon with on a daily basis - whether in the local council, in parliament, as a minister, as a member of parliament when campaigning on the street, even on a family outing at the weekend - and especially online. These attacks happen suddenly, everywhere, and are often carried out without a clearly recognisable motive. And it seems, ladies and gentlemen, that polarisation, conformity and emotionalisation are generally on the rise in our society - not least through the targeted use of so-called social media.
And as far as Austria is concerned, I can report that Austrian members of government receive up to 500 hate messages a day - including many of us MPs - and many threaten murder or rape. And we must therefore try to prosecute this violence with the full force of the law. And in Austrian criminal law, we are now also very successful and also have very good laws against hate on the internet - we have succeeded. And it is up to all of us to take the rule of law seriously and to work vigorously to uphold the law and demand compliance.
And especially when they affect us ourselves, ladies and gentlemen, because protecting politicians from violence is not just a task for the judiciary, but also for politics itself, for society - in other words, for all of us. And we, democrats, must not be naive, because today there are serious anti-democratic forces inside and outside Europe that enjoy political violence. And we need to take targeted countermeasures.
Because where additional protection does not hinder the democratic process, it must be expanded. And we have also significantly increased the security systems in the Austrian parliament in the wake of the violent incidents in the parliaments in Berlin, Washington and Belgrade. Ultimately, however, violence cannot be eradicated with laws and protective measures alone. Violence often begins internally and therefore invisibly - with the violation of liberal value systems. And that is why we must take decisive action against it. We must track down perpetrators of violence and punish them with the severity of the law.
We have already heard it - heard it painfully - from the keynote speaker: we politically active women are particularly often affected by violence. And so thank you, dear Despina, for organising this women's breakfast, where we could exchange ideas in a protected atmosphere and encourage each other again. That is an important part - that we fight this fact together.
And GREVIO, the Council of Europe's group of experts on combating violence against women and domestic violence, recommends combating prejudices and stereotypes to prevent violence against female politicians - as we have already heard today - and our Secretary General, Mr Alain BERSET, has therefore also proposed the Democracy Pact, which will also be discussed in the Assembly. And as a convinced democrat, I support this: protecting liberal democracy, learning, renewing it and adapting it to the reality of the 21st century is important and more necessary than ever. Finally, I would like to thank you once again, Mister President, for hosting this very important conference, for allowing us to exchange ideas with each other and for all those who contributed to it.
Let's tackle this issue together, let's not put up with anything - together we are strong. Thank you very much.
Many thanks, dear Andrea.
And now I call Ms Esther GIL DE REBOLEÑO, Vice-Speaker of the Congress of Deputies of Spain.
Vice-Présidente du Congrès des députés, Espagne
10:50:55
Good morning,
Mr President,
Madam Secretary General,
Firstly, I would like to thank the rapporteurs for their contributions and, in particular, the President of the Slovenian Parliament for her courage and for speaking from her personal experience. From Spain I would like to express our solidarity and gratitude.
Distinguished authorities,
We find ourselves at a critical crossroads for the future of Europe. The foundations of democracy, which we have worked so hard to build, are threatened by challenges that demand a united and decisive response.
One of the main challenges we face is the rise of populism and reactionary policies, combined with those who, in the East, threaten us with armed wars, and those who, in the West, threaten us with trade wars.
These projects undermine the values of solidarity, co-operation and inclusion that are the essence of our European project. These divisive forces exploit fear and uncertainty, offering tempting simplistic solutions to complex problems.
But we are not afraid. Because we are convinced that, in the face of this rhetoric of hatred and exclusion, our commitment to the rule of law, to diversity and to inclusion are always a guarantee of a better Europe.
Having said that, we must protect the confidence in our democratic institutions. And to do so, we must strengthen the welfare state, guaranteeing access to quality public services, protecting labour rights and promoting fiscal justice, while also protecting our planet.
In southern Europe we know only too well that austerity measures have alienated many people from the European project. Democracy and freedom cannot be understood without social and territorial cohesion. In Spain we are clear about this: the best vaccine against political disaffection is a strong welfare state, and the best way to defend democracy is to expand the rights and freedoms of citizens.
One of the biggest obstacles in this task is the persistent gender inequality and violence suffered by women, especially in the political sphere.
Women in positions of responsibility continue to face discrimination, attacks and questioning that our male colleagues rarely suffer. As highlighted at the Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament, held in Spain in 2024, many women political leaders feel "less safe" when defending certain positions. This is no coincidence: women suffer double violence in politics. In addition to the violence that affects all public representatives, there is specific gender-based violence, which manifests itself in sexist comments, hate speech on social media platforms, harassment or even physical threats.
This limits our participation in debates and decision-making. And it prevents us from bringing issues that are fundamental to our lives and our integrity into the political arena. For example, the protection of our sexual and reproductive rights. Although progress is being made, the recognition of unrestricted and universal abortion is a right that is advancing slowly and sometimes experiencing setbacks in different countries in Europe or around the world. In Spain we want to follow the path already opened up by countries such as France, and include this right in our constitution to provide it with the maximum possible guarantees.
Another area in which we women face a constant struggle is that of work-life balance. Talking about shared and equal responsibility for childcare and domestic chores is still a challenge in many countries, and not because there has been no legislative progress, but because cultural and economic resistance persists. Those of us who advocate measures for sharing such tasks encounter a barrier of scepticism and opposition that does not affect other debates in the same way.
Women in politics are constantly judged more harshly than men. More is demanded of us, we are questioned more and we are allowed less margin for error. This double standard harms us individually, but above all, it harms society as a whole.
Therefore, if we want a fairer Europe, education and culture must be our main tools.
For too long, women have been denied access to knowledge and history, but we have fought to conquer these spaces and make education a driver of equality. Now, we have the responsibility to promote programmes that encourage critical thinking, tolerance and respect for human rights. We need educational models that make women's contributions visible, that dismantle gender stereotypes and that educate about equality from childhood.
And I call on all the states represented here to make a firm commitment to invest in the education of our sons and daughters. Because our future will depend on it, and because education is not only a right, it is the basis on which strong democracies are built. And a democracy that does not educate with equality is a mediocre democracy.
The European democratic legacy is unique in history. And we are very proud of it. But we should not settle for what we have. We should not see our political systems as static structures that only need to be defended, because immobility does not protect democracy: it weakens it.
Democracy is not a stone castle that stands the test of time unchanged. If we understand it that way, it will end up deteriorating, little by little. It is more like a living organism that must adapt and transform itself to respond to the new challenges that arise. If we want it to continue being the best instrument for improving people's lives — and especially women's — we have to keep it moving, expanding rights and strengthening its capacity to include all women and men. Regardless of their beliefs, their place of birth, their gender or their sexual orientation.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Madam Gil de Reboleño.
Now, I call Mr Thomas BREZZO, President of the Conseil National of Monaco.
Président du Conseil National, Monaco
10:58:22
Thank you, Mister Chairman.
Madam Secretary General,
Fellow Presidents of Parliament,
Dear members of delegations,
Ladies and gentlemen,
As Mr Alain BERSET reminded us yesterday morning, this conference was created just fifty years ago. Our predecessors were men, or perhaps a few women too, respected for their decisions, their knowledge and their commitment. What remains of them today?
On this oh-so-delicate subject, allow me a little levity by hijacking the title of a book that evoked the ungrateful image of advertisers, a title that I could, for us, formulate as follows: Don't tell my mother I'm in politics... she thinks I'm a pianist in a brothel.
As you all know, being in politics, being elected by the people, doesn't just have a bad press: it can be dangerous, even violent, as our Austrian colleague reminded us a few moments ago, or Sir Lindsay HOYLE a few minutes ago.
Monaco is no exception to the rule; perhaps not yet to such an extent, but as in some Latin countries, certain words can go beyond the thoughts of their authors. But situations are usually resolved over a drink. Every electoral campaign is the occasion for rough exchanges, but as soon as the election is over, tensions subside; they subside to such an extent that during crises, as was the case during the covid-19 pandemic, all sensibilities come together in a movement of national unity.
In Monaco, we shouldn't be talking about violence against political figures. However, we are familiar with the poison that infiltrates the press and social networks more or less directly. It affects us all, it affects us personally, but it also affects our families, our loved ones, and even our children.
Make no mistake: attacking political figures or their entourage is an attack on democracy as a whole. In view of the violence that we are witnessing and that is endangering this democracy, as we mentioned yesterday in this forum, we must do everything we can to ensure that debate prevails over combat, and that respect prevails over brutality.
Unfortunately, we are witnessing a worrying rise in intolerance and violence directed against those who hold public office of any kind. And I'm not even talking about the executive or judicial pressures we're facing. These acts are not just individual attacks, but affronts to our democratic values and the legitimacy of our institutions.
Of course, as politicians, we cannot shirk our responsibility. That's why we have to question the way we address our electors, including through public debates. However, spontaneous hate speech, misinformation spread across all areas of public life, conspiracy theories and social crises that exacerbate passions all lead, on the one hand, to excessive polarisation of political expression and sometimes of political choices, and, on the other, to the desacralisation of the elective office to the point of gratuitous invective, disrespect and verbal, if not physical, violence.
So, while we in Monaco have not yet reached a level as serious as what my colleagues have just described, we must act now to prevent this violence from growing.
Indeed, can we stand idly by and watch the distressing spectacle of violence that runs counter to all our values? Laws exist, laws passed by our parliaments: they must be respected and, if need be, reinforced. How can we make legislative work credible if we don't ensure that it is respected?
As elected representatives, we have a sacred duty, back in our countries, to protect and defend those who serve the public interest. This means not only stepping up physical security measures around our elected representatives when necessary, and around voters too, but also and above all combating the rhetoric of hatred and incitement to violence that all too often proliferates.
Finally, since this is an attack on civil liberties, our Assembly, while not having direct coercive powers on this point, can and must stand up against any form of violence against the holders of popular legitimacy, the foundation of democracy in this case, more representative. And it is undoubtedly in this way that we will be able to regain the respect owed to our elders.
I'd like to end with an extract from the inaugural speech of our Parliamentary Assembly, delivered by René CASSIN, one of the main architects of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and a driving force behind PACE: "Democracy is the recognition of the dignity of the human person, so let's not give anyone the right to consider that those who exercise public functions could be excluded from this evident fact."
Thank you very much.
Thank you, dear Mister Brezzo.
And thank you for reminding me of this nice book of Jacques SÉGUÉLA which was written decades ago but is still very important for one to read.
I now call Mr Loïc HERVÉ, Vice-President of the French Senate.
Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen
One year ago today, France adopted a law to reinforce the security and protection of its mayors and local elected representatives. This legislation aligns the penalties for violence against elected representatives with those laid down for public officials, and introduces an aggravating circumstance for harassment against them, particularly online. It also provides automatic protection for elected representatives who are victims of violence and who request it. This law is the result of a collective realisation that violence against politicians is on the increase, and that local politicians are the first victims.
In October 2023, the Congress of Local Authorities of the Council of Europe heard the testimony of Vincent JEANBRUN, a mayor of the Île-de-France (Greater Paris) region whose house, where his wife and children were sleeping, was attacked with a ram car by rioters who tried to set it on fire. Several local politicians resigned from their posts because of the violence and threats they faced. Faced with this scourge, which undermines the foundations of our democracy, the French Parliament decided to take action.
But it's not just local elected representatives who are affected: members of parliament are too. They receive death threats, recently verbal harassment with physical threats. This week, my colleague Cédric PERRIN, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, and his son received death threats. Our fellow MP, Prisca THEVENOT, has received very serious threats against her person and her family.
We cannot accept such situations. The consequences on our families are absolutely dramatic and must be taken into account as such, when you live, as I do, with a personal alarm in your pocket or when the gendarmes come to your home to carry out a security assessment.
Unfortunately, this kind of violence exists throughout Europe, as the rise in violence against elected representatives is a common feature of all our societies. This was pointed out by the Heads of State and Government at the Reykjavík Summit. Sanctions – particularly criminal ones – and protection are essential measures, but they are not enough, as they are only palliative.
Attacking an elected representative is an attack on institutions, and an attack on the symbolic strength of the democratic mandate we hold. I say this all the more because the violence of some elected representatives towards others is growing at an alarming rate. The dignity of our mandate also depends on our ability to exercise it in complete peace and safety, without ever asking ourselves whether there are risks to our own safety, our own health, or even our own lives.
We must fight against the spread of hatred and disinformation on social media platforms, which are becoming, as my colleague Claude MALHURET says, "anti-social" media. And it's these platforms that, on an ongoing basis, often fuel mistrust of elected representatives. I know that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is particularly mobilised on this issue.
So is the French Parliament. In 2018, it passed a law aimed at preventing the dissemination of false news during election periods. And since last year, education in the media and the dangers of digital technology has been integrated into our students' training.
Finally, it is crucial to highlight the specific violence suffered by women in politics: they are particularly targeted. It is our responsibility to strengthen our legal and institutional framework to guarantee that women politicians receive effective support and reinforced protection in the face of attacks that are totally unacceptable.
I would like to end on a hopeful note, because I believe there is still time to act to reverse this trend and make our nations safe spaces for those who commit themselves to serving the common good. Change is in our hands.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Mr Hervé.
I now call Mr Andrija MANDIĆ, Speaker of the Skupština Crne Gore, of Montenegro.
Président du Skupština Crne Gore, Montenegro
11:08:48
Honourable President, dear colleagues, honourable Speakers, ladies and gentlemen,
We gathered here today the spirit of democracy and freedom. We address a matter that troubles the modern world, and violence against politicians.
The example of my country, Montenegro, illustrates how precious freedom, democracy and the right to hold different opinions are, yet also how easily they can become targets of political violence.
Montenegro's history unfortunately has long lacked the experience of a peaceful transition of power, through democratic elections. For decades we had autocracies, and only recently have we gained the ability to elect and replace government through elections, as a hallmark of modern democratic societies.
There are several reasons and explanations for this delay.
The fall of the Berlin Wall, a symbolic act that brought freedom to many nations at the end of 1989 did not extend to Montenegro. In our case, the communists merely changed their attire and overnight became socialists retaining all of the oppressive mechanisms of the previous regime. The League of Communists of Montenegro, the ruling party of the time, merely changed its name while maintaining the same methods of governance. With one significant difference: organised crime and corruption were introduced into political and economic life, creating a dangerous symbiosis between crime and the state.
In this, we were not much different from other countries: the former Yugoslavia. However, Montenegro, they had the will and strength to replace their government through elections, and to fight against these plagues.
As a long-time opposition member, I, along with my colleagues fought tirelessly against this difficult situation using both democratic means. It is unpleasant for me to highlight that I, along with my ten opposition colleagues – Mr Milan Knežević, Mr Nebojša Medojević, Mr Slaven Radunović, Mr Milun Zogović, Mr Mihailo Čadjenovic – and many other fighters for democracy, were victims of the regime at the time, precisely because of our persistent fight for free elections and respect for the people's will.
Political persecution and violence were a part of our daily life. Without lifting our parliamentary immunity, we were arrested, imprisoned, persecuted and discredited, while those responsible felt no accountability, guilt or shame.
The major electoral victory in 2020 gave us the opportunity to reform Montenegro, to build accountable institutions while consistently respecting the constitution and the law.
Our country is now engaged in a determined fight against organised crime and corruption, ensuring that this fight is fair, and completely excludes political revenge and violence – the very things we once endured.
These personal experiences have further strengthened my belief in democracy, freedom and dialogue as the only correct paths for our future.
As the Speaker of our parliament, I have dedicated my mandate to promoting dialogue, understanding and compromise. I hold no grudge against the opposition when they criticise my work or the work of ministers sharply, because I spent most of my career on the opposition benches, and I fully understand the role of the opposition in a society that genuinely aims to be democratic.
Today, here with you, united in the European inspiration for peace and stability, we send a clear message: that violence against politicians and repression against different views have no place in modern Europe.
Countries that fail to confront this truth always risk slipping back into darkness and autocracy.
The future of Montenegro, like the future of democratic Europe, lies in respecting different opinions, in free speech, and in open dialogue. These are the foundations of peace, stability and progress.
Let our experience serve as a reminder of how dangerous violence against political opponents can be.
It is also crucial to understand and respect those who fight for their ideas through democratic means. Some of your countries embraced those values long ago, while others, like Montenegro, have only recently done so.
We understand the advantages of democracy, and we will do everything to endure not to return in the era of autocracy and totalitarian regimes, because the risk always exists.
Thank you.
[Light applause]
Thank you, Mister Mandić.
I now call the Vice-Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament, Greece, Mr Ioannis PLAKIOTAKIS.
Vice-Président du Parlement hellénique, Grèce
11:14:49
Thank you, Excellency,
Members of the Council of Europe have witnessed an increase in violence against politicians characterised by an increase in physical attacks, threats and online hate against elected officials at both a local and national level. These phenomena are unfortunately accompanied by an increasing polarisation of political life, with divisive rhetoric becoming increasingly prevalent in political discourse.
In particular, attacks, physical attacks and beatings against politicians are a dangerous phenomenon for democracy, with the politicians sometimes being targeted personally, and sometimes through associates and family members. Growing social tensions, polarised debates in the media, increasing hate speech, and the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories through social media are literally changing the face of European societies.
Politicians are sometimes scapegoated for what is not working well in society, and accused of a lack of foresight, responsiveness, or outright inaction before or during a crisis, or of being out of touch with reality. Hostility can also be fuelled by the increase in corruption cases involving politicians and the perception of their relative impunity. Misogyny, sexism, racism, hatred against LGBTI people, hatred against an established system, distrust, frustration – all this can fuel negative feelings against politicians, which in turn, fuel hatred.
Other deeper causes stem from growing inequalities, fear of being left out, or left behind, which causes frustrations that lead to hostility against those perceived to be in positions of power and privilege.
In my country, Greece, the phenomenon was particularly manifested during the years of the crisis and the memoranda. But even now, when we are not facing as a country the financial problems of the past, fortunately a small part of Greek society considers violence as a means of expressing its own protest against the political system. Members of parliament, mayors and others have been attacked, unprovoked, during peaceful events, such as national anniversaries, protest marches, events of the Greek community abroad. Complaints include sharp opposition to government, or local government manipulations. Similar incidents of violence against politicians are unacceptable. They are not consistent with a democratic constitution, and are unequivocally condemned.
They demonstrate the contempt for parliament, often coming from extreme political figures, and are an emphatic reminder of the danger to our democracy, of tolerating hate speech and bullying inside and outside parliament.
It is therefore imperative that the causes be addressed and investigated immediately.
At the Fourth Summit of the Council of Europe in Reykjavík, in 2023, the heads of government of the member states adopted the principles for democracy in which they committed themselves to ensuring full, equal and meaningful participation in political and public life for all. In particular, for women and girls, free from violence, fear, harassment and hate-based harassment.
Campaigns such as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe #NotInMyParliament initiative can help raise awareness of the issue and the urgency of preventing and combating violence against politicians.
Gender-based violence against politicians and violence against politicians from minority backgrounds, in particular on gender-based violence and in the wake of the #MeToo movement - well women politicians started to speak openly about all of these phenomena.
In Europe's political landscape as it is now taking shape, politicians must unfortunately be given the knowledge and practical help necessary to prepare themselves for the threat of violence and adapt their methods and working tools. Psychological and other forms of support and practical assistance should be readily available to those who have been targeted because repeated violence of any kind damages both the work and the credibility of national parliaments.
Finally, decisive action to address violence against politicians is an integral part of protecting our democratic systems and requires leadership and action at the highest level.
It is an essential investment for the renewal and further development of representative democracy for years to come.
Thank you very much for your attention.
Allow me, Mister President, to thank you personally and the team of people around you for the organisation of this conference on democracy and freedom of expression.
[Light applause]
"Thank you dear Ioannis" [Spoken in Greek]
I call now Ms Maria Katia SAVORETTI, Vice-Speaker of the Great and General Council of San Marino.
You have the floor.
Vice-Président du Grand Conseil général, Saint-Marin
11:21:42
Mister President,
Kind colleagues,
there are many interpretations on this issue, but what is no longer tolerable is violence against political subjects at various levels, perpetuated not only verbally, but especially physically.
Today we need to reason that this is no longer a U.S.-only phenomenon, i.e., due to a history marked from the beginning by violence, or political choices about gun ownership.
Today even Europe is not exempt: incidents of violence against state representatives in general are on the rise.
As evidenced by recent data: two major European states such as Germany and France, in those cases of verbal and physical aggression, complaints and reports are now stably over the threshold of 2,000 cases per year.
It is thus denoted that, unfortunately, even the most developed Western democracies have to deal with the violence present in society, to which they are trying to give their own and original answers, starting precisely from a reading of the causes that can trigger it.
However, one must also recognise the ban on violence, which cannot be tolerated as an ordinary dimension of life together.
This applies to members of the community, who cannot resort to it to claim their rights or seek justice, but also to the exercise of power by the democratic state, which is granted a monopoly on the legitimate use of force to prevent "all against all," but without it being arbitrary and violent, and provided it is not subject to rules and limitations.
The way violence has been understood in democracy, particularly that manifested in politics, can be equated with a widespread malaise prevalent beyond the threshold of dialogue that shakes society.
Violence is not a disease, but the manifestation of a state of suffering with a deeper root certainly. For example, the exclusion or irrelevance, objective or perceived, in which certain sections of society feel confined when it comes to addressing issues that affect public life. And this is the real meaning of the malaise.
If the conflictual dimension is inherent in politics, appropriate tools must be found so that it does not deflate into violence. The choice of democracies has been to equip themselves with instruments that encourage broad individual participation, such as the recognition and protection of equality among citizens of civil and political rights; and collective, that is, the freedom to associate, to form parties, to inform.
The progressive construction of democratic institutions did not take place by ignoring violence, but by trying to understand it and give responses that were not themselves violent, with repressive policies.
The multiple episodes in which political dissent today results in the use of violence confirm the fragility of democracies in the West, but also paradoxes, for example on disproportionate repressive reactions, in cases of nonviolent protests, while there is an almost implicit tolerance for organised forms of violence in the world of sports.
It is as if we are unable to distinguish between different protests, giving prejudicial and different responses depending on who is the perpetrator. Among the causes of this situation is the entrenchment of extreme polarisation in political and social debate. We are witnessing an increasingly exacerbated conflict between the parties involved, a clash in which ideological barriers, sometimes functional to protect partisan interests, make any form of dialogue impossible.
This view brings with it an idea of political life far removed from the democratic tradition. First of all, it leaves no room for mutual recognition and respect among those engaged in politics. It also does away with the principle that the art of government requires a continuous exercise of mediation, in order to seek the common good, because in democracy the principle of "winner takes all" does not apply.
Among the consequences of polarisation is the use of belligerent language in the rhetoric of words and metaphors employed, centered on the "us them" dialectic, the exacerbation of differences to portray those with different positions as an enemy with whom one cannot come to terms.
The same clearance of violence at the verbal level in official discourse translates into a legitimisation of violent behaviour in everyday life. Thus violence ends up being considered the only language to resort to in order to be heard, to assert, or rather impose, one's point of view.
At the expense of this scenario is democracy, our chosen form of government in the West. In it is enshrined a certain way of conceiving bonds that hold us together as members of a political community. That is why, when it is betrayed, we are all affected. Therefore, it is not enough to condemn violent incidents superficially if we fail to acknowledge any mistakes made and take responsibility for them.
The response to this violent fever that shakes democratic institutions cannot come from deaf or repressive policies, just as it cannot be ascribed solely to one individual. There are many open initiatives to restore meaning to democratic mechanisms, for them to return to intercept the needs and demands of citizens, and for it to be possible to take seriously social discomfort and anger as fertile ground for cross-cutting and populist claims.
It is a demanding challenge to combat violence against politicians, which politics itself must intercept and defuse, increasingly extending the principles of democracy in which popular sovereignty, inviolable rights, equality, solidarity and the protection of minorities, are the basis from which to disregard in order to concur in the formation of the collective will, through direct and/or indirect participation, with the existence of control and information mechanisms, principles that constitute the foundation of the rule of law.
Thank you.
"Thank you very much" [spoken in Italian], Madam Savoretti.
I now will call the first Vice-Speaker of the Eduskunta, Finland, Ms Paula RISIKKO.
You have the floor.
Première Vice-Présidente du Eduskunta, Finlande
11:28:30
Honourable Chair,
Honourable Presidents of Parliament,
Excellencies,
Dear colleagues,
It is an honour for me to address you today on the important topic of violence against politicians. Verbal or violent attacks, sometimes with deadly outcomes, have become a clear risk for us politicians in the Council of Europe’s member states. For some, being a politician has become a dangerous job, which might deter people from standing in elections. In the long term this hurts democracy, the very core of our western societies.
My aim today is to share with you examples of how the parliament of Finland tackles and prepares for security threats and actions targeted at our parliamentarians.
Finland's crisis resilience is based on the concept of comprehensive security. This means securing vital functions of society through co-operation between the authorities, businesses, organisations and citizens. From our point of view, the citizen is an active participant in security, not just a target. This approach is also applied in the parliament of Finland. Everyone working in parliament plays an important role in maintaining and developing security.
I lead the current comprehensive security development group in parliament. The group includes both parliamentarians and officials. Our purpose is to strengthen security in various ways and to enhance the experience of a safe working place for everyone in parliament.
To support this work, security surveys have been conducted over the past 20 years. In this year's survey, parliamentarians did not report increases in threats of physical violence, although some violent incidents have occurred recently. However, online harassment is on the rise. Members of parliament encounter increasingly harsh language and verbal abuse on the internet.
Finnish parliamentarians have access to general security services and, if necessary, individually tailored security measures. Members of parliament can participate in risk assessments that determine the necessary actions.
Security services include personal protection and other protective measures provided by the police, such as support in threat situations. Technical security devices can also be arranged – in some cases, even at home.
Our security training covers general security, preparedness, and actions in exceptional circumstances, as well as cybersecurity.
The parliament’s security guidelines include guidelines for online harassment situations, how to act safely digitally and guidelines for travel security and disruptions abroad.
Social media is also monitored by parliament’s communication unit, whose staff work closely with our security personnel.
The aim of parliament’s comprehensive security co-operation is to form a national situational picture of threats against members. This enables us to identify and counter various threats in advance.
Proactive security measures by parliamentarians are also important. The members’ own choices have an impact. Being selective about events or whether to attend them alone and by which means of transport is crucial. It is also important to consider how to act in the digital world.
Dear friends,
Unfortunately, we cannot prevent all violent acts against politicians. However, focusing on awareness, preparedness and co-operation and by sharing best practices we are already in a good place to develop new security measures.
Thank you.
[Applause]
Thank you Madam Risikko.
I will call now Ms Bärbel BAS, Speaker of the Budenstag of Germany.
Mister President,
Dear colleagues,
We have all experienced in recent months and years that political discourse has become increasingly polarised and radicalised. In the worst cases, people have even lost their lives in the service of democracy. I, too, would like to remember Jo Cox, Pawel Adamowicz and David Amess, and Walter Lübcke, the president of the German administrative district of Kassel - he was shot dead on his porch by a right-wing extremist in 2019.
These murders are the gruesome results of a disturbing trend. The storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 - an attack on a parliament building and on representatives of the people - was also a terrifying low point. Motivated by the false claim that the election result was illegitimate.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Federal Criminal Police Office reported almost 5 000 cases of violence against politicians in Germany in 2024. This represents a 20% increase in assaults compared to 2023. Women and members of minorities are particularly affected, as are mostly honorary local politicians.
Before our parliamentary elections, several MPs decided not to run again due to massive threats - including my Bundestag Vice-President Yvonne Magwas. These threats, the attacks on MPs and the attacks on campaign workers are not isolated incidents - they are part of a global ring - a ring between democracy and autocracy, between dialog and intimidation, between the strength of the law and the law of the strongest. This realisation should give us strength. We defend the great idea of a society in which conflicts are resolved peacefully and not by force. We defend the democratic idea: a society in which compromise is not a sign of weakness - but of strength.
Ladies and gentlemen, the following measures can help to curb violence against politicians: swift condemnation of the acts, protection concepts and offers of help for those affected, clear rules and sanctions for a respectful debate in parliament, increased protection of parliament, no access for people who pose a risk to the work or security of parliament. But we also need to tackle the causes in the long term: educating people about disinformation in social media, informing them about the dangers of a polarised public, providing more democratic education and media skills - including on digital platforms - and finding political solutions to growing social inequality.
Ladies and gentlemen, the situation is serious - but there is also a lot of hope. Faith in democracy is mobilising. As I said in the first session, voter turnout in the most recent Bundestag elections was really very high at over 80%, and it has never been higher since German reunification - and that gives us confidence. Everywhere in Europe and here in this Chamber today, I see politicians who are now even more committed to democracy, who are not intimidated by the challenges, but on the contrary stand together in solidarity.
This determination to show solidarity is a powerful asset that we all have in our hands. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
I fully – not only me, but all of us – agree with what we have said, that we have to send a clear message to those who believe that "might is right", because might is not right.
I call now the Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, Mr Peter ŽIGA.
President of the Parliamentary Assembly,
Colleagues,
Distinguished guests,
We are living through difficult and complex times for society and democracy. Europe has long been accustomed to prosperity, tolerance, and respect for both written and unwritten rules.
However, we are now witnessing a period of insecurity, deep divisions in society and various manifestations of aggression. It was only a matter of time before this atmosphere led to violence and attacks on human life and health. Slovakia experienced such an attack last year when prime minister Robert FICO was nearly killed.
A fanatic, driven by his political beliefs, opened fire, shocking and horrifying our nation. Our entire political scene agreed that this was nothing less than an assassination attempt on democracy itself. In a democracy we are accustomed that political battles belong where they should be: within the walls of parliament, fought with arguments, however fierce they may be. But always with respect for one's political opponents.
However, when an atmosphere of anger, hatred and fear takes hold in the street, the result is always violence. Some may even perversely believe they are doing the right thing when they start settling scores with those who hold different political views. Or there are even those who justify the assassination of a political leader or prime minister simply because they disagree with them.
Following the assassination attempt, the national council of the Slovak Republic under my leadership unanimously adopted a resolution in which all parliamentary parties condemned both the attack and political violence.
Opposition parties, whose criticisms of the prime minister were publicly shared by the assassin, toned down their public activities. We all agreed that the situation in which politicians incited crowds together outside of opponents' homes much never happen again.
Yet, less than a year later I am saddened and disappointed to say that in many ways we are back to where we started. The global trend of violence against politicians is something we all recognise, all who are in this room. Just recall the assassination attempt of then presidential candidate Donald TRUMP.
Politicians themselves and their method are largely responsible for this radicalisation. This happens when they refuse to accept election results and aggressively attack their political opponent. The media also play a role, often deepening divisions and fuelling negative atmosphere in society.
Another serious threat comes from social media and the anonymity that allows hostility to thrive. Yet, paradoxically, those who most frequently speak of tolerance, democracy and free expression are often the ones who push their own views as the only acceptable truth, focussing more on finding enemies within.
Without self reflection and the return to respectful and civilised debate, restoring peace in society will be impossible. Politicians must set an example because people often mirror our behaviour of what is acceptable.
No one is silencing anyone, but we must all consider whether our words and actions are fuelling hatred that leads to violence. Stricter security measures alone are not the solution.
There is a fine line between moderating public discourse and censorship. The only real solution is a shared societal commitment to decency and tolerance with respect for the rules so that we can live in a peaceful and civilised society where aggression and violence are universally condemned as something unacceptable.
Thank you very much for your attention.
Thank you Mister Žiga.
I will now call Mr Angelo FARRUGIA, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malta.
You have the floor.
Président de la Chambre des représentants, Malte
11:43:23
Thank you Chair, distinguished guests,
First of all, I would like to make a statement. Democracy will not protect itself. We must protect democracy. So, true democracy thrives on debate. However, across Europe and beyond, politics is facing an unprecedented wave of intimidation, violence and threats.
Let us be unequivocal: this is not merely a crisis afflicting those in public office. No, it is a crisis for democracy itself - a calculated assault on the fundamental principles that uphold our societies.
Violence against politicians is physical.
We have seen this unfold worldwide, from the abhorrent assassinations of Ms Jo COX mentioned earlier by my good friend Sir Lindsey HOYLE, and Mr Paweł ADAMOWICZ, to the attempted murder of Slovak prime minister Robert FICO, just mentioned also by the previous speaker.
Early in my career, when at the time I was serving in the Malta police force, I witnessed also such violence against a member of parliament, Paul CHETCUCI CARUANA, of the government party, who narrowly survived when a letter bomb failed to detonate.
But on the same day, another letter bomb was sent to a separate future minister of the government party, Mr Edwin GRECH, where tragically his 15-year-old daughter, Ms Karin GRECH, opened it causing an explosion that took her life. She died instantly. Many years later, the Maltese courts officially recognised that her murder was a political crime, but the case remains unsolved.
Well, violence goes beyond physical attacks also – it is a systematic effort to silence voices and dismantle political figures.
Online hate speech, misinformation, character assassination, and the deliberate perversion of truth are all contributors.
Women in politics, in particular, are especially vulnerable. Too many endure psychological abuse, receive death threats, and face daily intimidation.
Malta’s upcoming presidency of the Council of Europe will make this a top priority. We must strive for stronger protections against violence and discrimination in all its forms, ensuring that politics remains only a space where all voices – all of them, including those of women and marginalised groups – can be heard without fear.
Yet, as we know, politics is not the preserve of a privileged few; it is both the responsibility but it is also the right of every citizen.
If violence is permitted to pervade politics, it is not solely those in office who suffer – it is every individual who dares to engage in democracy, to articulate their views, to stand for justice.
Esteemed colleagues,
When democracy is assaulted, it is society itself that bears the wounds.
As ARISTOTLE, the father of political science, stated: "Every man is by nature a social and political animal".
So journalists, activists, and citizens confront the same perils as politicians when they exercise their right to express themselves.
The harassment and intimidation of journalists for uncovering the truth, the defamation and hate speech against activists for championing justice, and the suppression of whistleblowers who expose corruption all form part of the same crisis.
So, colleagues, to preserve democracy, again I repeat it, we must protect it ourselves.
At the core of this challenge lies the unchecked proliferation of misinformation and hate speech.
We must act decisively.
More robust legislation must be enacted, to protect politicians and citizens alike. This necessitates legislative reforms to criminalise incitement to violence, both online but also offline, along with holding accountable those who amplify hate speech.
Equally, an important psychological and trauma support should be provided for victims of political violence.
And also, swift justice for threats and attacks must be ensured, while simultaneously enhancing security for high-risk individuals.
So, colleagues, special attention must also be given to protecting women and minority politicians through stronger legal safeguards, and stricter penalties for gender-based hate speech, and mentorship programmes to support unrepresented voices in politics.
National initiatives must cultivate media literacy, through education campaigns that equip citizens with the skills to identify misinformation.
Within this context, parliament plays a vital role in ensuring equality and accountability. Its privileges must never be misused to besmirch citizens.
As Speaker of parliament in Malta, I have annually – on a particular day which is the Sette Giugno speech, the uprising of the Maltese against the British when they were given the first constitution later on – always pleaded the importance of upholding the citizens’ fundamental right to reply within parliament, allowing all individuals to defend themselves against defamation. The principle of Sette Giugno is a symbol of the citizen’s struggle for self-determination and democratic rights, as I clearly stated earlier. It serves as a poignant reminder that democracy must be anchored in accountability, in truth, and responsible debate.
So to restore trust in politicians and in our institutions, we must reinforce ethical codes for politicians, prohibit inflammatory rhetoric, enhance transparency and promote ethical governance. Civic participation must also be encouraged to ensure that citizens feel integral to the democratic process.
However, we must also acknowledge that political violence is not confined to our national borders – it is now a global affliction.
To address it effectively, we require a very strong international collaboration as we are doing today, including through transnational monitoring bodies that monitor political violence trends, facilitate cross border prosecution, and foster global dialogues on democratic resilience.
Colleagues,
We must stand at a defining juncture in the evolution of democracy.
Do we resign ourselves to political violence as an inescapable reality, or do we resolutely defend a future where democracy is revered and safeguarded?
Politicians must lead by example, of course – denouncing violence, misinformation, and hate speech in all its manifestations.
However, we must fortify democracy by protecting all those who engage with it – that is politicians, journalists, activists, and citizens alike.
Let us forge a society in which political engagement is secure, esteemed, and inviolable.
Democracy will not protect itself. And I repeat: we must protect it.
Thank you very much.
[Light applause]
Thank you Mister Farrugia.
Our last speaker is the President of the International Parliamentary Union.
Madam Tulia Ackson: you have the floor.
Présidente de l'Union interparlementaire
11:52:32
Mister President, dear colleagues,
I would like to thank you for giving me another opportunity to address you.
Having listened to all the colleagues who have taken the floor before me on this very important topic about violence against politicians, it kept me thinking about the different categories of politicians that we have.
And here, most of us who are here are leaders in our respective parliaments, including myself – I am the speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania.
And some of the challenges that we have discussed here today affect us as Speakers personally, but some of the challenges that we have advanced here are those that relate to politicians generally.
But even us in politics, we are in different categories once again. You have male politicians, you have female politicians, you have people with disabilities, you have youth in politics, you have people from marginalised groups. We all face different levels of violence.
Now here we discussed violence generally. Now if I took the example of women – I had my colleagues here who took the floor before me, but also before coming to this conference, I was in Mexico where women were discussing the challenges that they go through in politics. And I had a chance to listen to them as well.
Now because I serve as a president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, I have snapshots so to say of what is happening in the world of politics outside the Council of Europe member states. And in those places when they are discussing, their challenges are a little different from what I have heard most of my colleagues here speaking.
Coming from Africa, when you talk about me and my looks like whether I have plaited my hair or I haven't plaited my hair, the colour of my shoes, the colour of my dress, I would rarely consider that as violence – why? Because there are other brutal forms of violence that exist there, so maybe this would be a lesser one.
But at the same time, if somebody goes to my account maybe or through their own account posting about me and saying something very cynical or very degrading to me as a leader, to me as a politician, to me as a woman – maybe what will come to me is that, who is this person, who is telling me this? And then next will be; is he or she from my constituency, like a voter? And then if I realise they may not be, actually they may even be in Europe, then I couldn't care less! Why? Because I have to ignore this online bullying, because there are other serious things that affect me as a politician.
Why do I say that?
It's because the physical space is not as open for me as a woman, so if I start worrying about people discussing about how I look, how I dress, you know or somebody commenting on the internet, then I am doomed. Why? Because my world of politics is full of very powerful men, and they wouldn't just let you as a woman occupy their space, so I have to put up a very brave face for my people to trust me, to vote me. If I present myself as a person who would worry when people discussed me, about how I dress, about how I keep my hair, then the community that voted me will say, I'm sorry we think we have better things to worry about. Why? They would want to me to be talking about availability of water, clean water, they would want me talking about the construction of health facilities.
Now if I am there, they hear me discussing about these ideas of me being affected personally, they probably wouldn't look at me as a serious leader.
Why did I bring this up? It's because we are talking about democracy and the protection of democratic values. It is very important that the space is equal for all politicians of all categories, but at the same time I would urge now as president of IPU, the Council of Europe being exemplary as you are in the areas of governance, in the areas of democracy.
It is time to study what is happening in other places and then try to influence. Why? We would also want in our own world to reach a point where we would be discussing the challenges like you do here. The challenges that a person faces online, the challenges that a woman faces when people discuss the colour of their shoes. It is something that affects them. Why, why are you discussing about their shoes instead of the speech that they have given, instead of the substance that they are able to offer as leaders. We would also want to reach that space.
So Mister President, I would urge that maybe we commission some studies and then get to understand.
Here I heard a number of examples of politicians who have been murdered because of their job, politicians whose lives have been put on the line, but you look at other places of this world where opposition parties, where parties which are not in government, it is sometimes the state machinery that is inflicting pain on those politicians. How do we learn from the Council of Europe to hold these governments accountable for the violence that they inflict on these politicians who have different opinions from what they have?
And yesterday I was receiving reports... as president once again there are some places where politicians have been apprehended just because they are about to go into elections, and now they are in custody, so that they are not able to participate.
Now democracy – we would want democracy in Europe, yes. And the Council of Europe now here the parliaments of this body and we are discussing about democracy, yes. But we have to make sure this democracy permeates to other countries as well.
Mister President, I thank you for the opportunity and I wish you all the best.
Thank you.
[Applause]
Thank you so much, Misses Ackson, President of the IPU.
I will now call our keynote speakers, in the case they would like to respond to the debate.
I will ask first Mr Lorenzo FONTANA.
Dear Lorenzo, would you like to respond?
Président de la Chambre des Députés, Italie
12:00:34
"Thank you Mister President, it's not so much to answer" [spoken in English].
Ah sorry, I'm going into Italian.
It is not so much a reply, but it is more to invite you, next year, on behalf of the Chamber of Deputies and on behalf of the Senate of the Republic as well, to invite you next year in Rome to hold the same conference in 2026, in the autumn. Given the wonderful organisation here, we hope to replicate. But I'm convinced that thanks to the president and their whole organisation it will certainly be made easier for us.
So what I wanted to announce is that there is an intention for the fall of 2026 to hold this Assembly in Rome, and I hope to see you all there.
I thank you because the day today in my opinion really gave a lot of insights that can make people think and maybe we could deepen also in this session that we will have in our country. So I thank you and look forward to seeing you in Rome next year.
Thank you very much.
Sir Hoyle, would you like to reflect further on this debate?
Président de la Chambre des Communes, Royaume-Uni
12:02:17
Mister President,
Can I just say thank you. Thank you all for taking part in a very important conference. It is bringing us together which really does matter.
And I've got to say to my great friend Lorenzo – a big thank you as he talks away, that I want to say Rome on the agenda, I look forward to it. I look forward to the hospitality. It is about keeping us together, working together and being here for each other. So once again can I say thank you for all the contributions. Thank you for allowing me to speak.
It does matter. We are one Europe, even if we're not quite in the club at the moment.
Thank you everybody.
Dear Urska, would you like to respond to this debate?
Présidente de l’Assemblée nationale, Slovénie
12:03:13
Thank you so much for bringing awareness to these very important topics that we discussed.
I do hope that this conference will have an impact, at least in our minds, at least that we know that we are aware of the dangers of this world, but also not only the dangers but also the positive things in this world and concentrate on those positive things, and make this world a place that we will be proud of, and make this world a place that our children will be able to live in.
It is not to be taken for granted that we are here all together from different countries, different states, with different histories, different traditions, different religions, different cultures, and that we are able to talk to each other respectfully.
So I do hope that it will continue – well unfortunately we have elections in Slovenia next year before autumn, but whoever is in my place I do hope that he will continue the work that I'm doing and that is empowering women especially, and also other people who have the good heart and have the strength and have the will to step outside to be in public life, and to do good things for our societies.
So thank you for this conference, for organising this conference.
I hope that, as I said in my in my speech, it will not only stay in words but we will show what we can do in our deeds, because the world that we are in is not such a beautiful place, but we can make it better. We can.
Thank you.
Let me start with the good news: 58 delegations from 43 countries and 9 parliamentary assemblies.
The not-very-good news: 57 speakers, 39 men and 18 women. A third only.
The good news, of course is that, this Assembly has already reached 46% of women sitting. I believe next year we will be 50% - 50%.
We have had 40 secretary generals: 27 men and 13 women.
Dear friends, dear colleagues, it is my privilege, as the President, to conclude the works of our conference.
We are facing a moment in History, when our societies and our citizens are confronted with challenges to the international legal and democratic values that we've taken for granted for so long. The three themes ouf our conference – safeguarding democracy, guaranteing freedom of expression in times of polarisation and uncertainty, and violence against politicians – could not be more timely.
They are increasingly interconnected and call for a vigorous and innovative action from our part. Democracy and peace are strongly intertwined. If ever we had forgotten the lessons of the last war, the past few years we have lived through – when both democracy and peace have been undermined on our continent – have brought this back into crystal-clear focus. Democracy and peace are not established once and for all; we must try to uphold them each and every day, continiously, in all parts of our Continent and beyond. We must hold on to and uphold the deeply rooted founding values on which Europe has been constructed. We must insist upon the full respect of international law and hold accountable those who violate it.
Defending democracy, dear colleagues, sums up what Ukraine is doing today and we'll say it many times here, in this hemicycle. For their part, European democracies must continue to fully support Ukraine in its fight against the Russian Federation's agression. For it is clear that the outcome of this war is bound to save the future of our continent. Our unity and solidarity are the strongest defence against malign foreign and domestic forces intent on undermining democaracy and peace.
The Conference looks forward to supporting the work of the Council of Europe on the new Democratic Pact, an initiative which follows through the political commitments expressed by the Heads of State and Government in Reykjavik, at the 4th Council of Europe Summit. This is a matter for all of us, for all of our societies and all of our citizens. We must find ways to reconnect to those citizens – especially to youth – and bring back the passion for democracy and peace in place of resignation and division. We must invest in civic education which reaches heads and minds throuout society and, especially, in schools and educational establishments.
And parlamentarians have a special responsibility in the leading role to play. We must be particularly mindful of how we behave in our parliaments and how that shapes public discourse. Over and above party politics, we must exercise our role of oversight as regards the executive, and be resolute in calling out any slipping in democratic standards. We must be transparent in our parliamentary work, and bring it close to the citizens through traditional and new channels, listenning to their concerns and restoring their trust in democracy. New challenges are not bringing danger to democracy only; we can use them as a very useful tool.
The conclusions of the Conference will be soon available on the Conference website.
Before we declare the Conference closed, I would like to inform you that our next conference, as dear Lorenzo FONTANA said, will be held in Rome in autumn 2026. I will not be there, since I will not be President anymore, but my successor will be there welcoming you, standing by Lorenzo FONTANA.
We have come to the end of the European Conference of Presidents of Parliaments 2025, and it's time now to bid your farewell. I was pleased to receive you all in Strasbourg, and I welcome your large presence and active participation to our debates.
I'd like to thank each and everyone of you, for thus contributing to the success of this conference, which will undoubtly remain as one of the highlights of the year 2025 for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Our debates have been extremely rich and the number of bilateral meetings between delegations is an undeniable sign of interparliamentary cooperation.
When I sent you my invitation, my wish for this conference was that we would create a space where we could share our experiences, knowledge and expertise, and connect with each other. Now, we are facing unprecedented challenges to democratic security in a context of shifting geopolitical balances and a realignment of multilateralism.
As members of the Council of Europe, we must remain committed to upholding our fundamental principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. This is our collective responsibility.
I want to extend my sincere gratitude to our keynote speakers and to all those who contributed to these discussions.
Our work will provide not just food for thought, but tangible proposals and examples for actions, not only in our respective parliaments, but also in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. It is up to us, the speakers of the parliaments, to draw from the richness of these stimulating exchanges the elements that will feed parliamentary work.
Dear fellow speakers, presidents and secretary-generals of parliaments, I've thouroughly enjoyed meeting with you, listening to you and learning from you. If I would kindly ask you to send one only message, please remember: democracy may be old, but not old-fashioned.
I wish to express the gratitude to those who have contributed to the excellent organisation of this conference, the Secretariat of the Council of Europe and the Parliamentary Assembly, and its Secretary-General, Ms Despina CHATZIVASSILIOU. Of course, also the City of Strasbourg which is hosting us, and the French authorities. I salute of course, the remarkable work of our interpreters.
It is now my pleasure to invite you to a farewell cocktail that will be served at the Assembly's lobby.
With that message, I declare the Conference closed.
Thank you all.
