13/09/2022 Political Affairs and Democracy
The Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy has made the following declaration for the International Day of Democracy (15 September):
The world is confronted with epochal and global challenges which interact and magnify each other’s effects.
In Ukraine, people are losing their lives and livelihoods to protect their country’s sovereignty and independence in the face of the Russian Federation’s aggression, while ordinary people worldwide are affected by higher food and energy prices and shortages. Widespread deprivation may lead to social unrest and instability. Nuclear safety is hanging by a thin thread.
Climate change poses an existential threat for the planet. Extreme climatic events are becoming increasingly frequent, intense and devastating, affecting the lives of millions of people.
The world is still trying to recover from the social, political and economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, which is likely to be neither the last nor the worst global health crisis of the present century.
Digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, have a tremendous potential for improving human lives but their potential hazardous effects must be constrained.
Only stronger and more resilient democracies can tackle these challenges and put the world on a new track. Democratic backsliding must be reverted and its root causes addressed. Greater accountability is necessary to ensure that political leaders put the public good and long-term concerns before short-term interests. The rule of law must be respected, as a fundamental principle in itself but also as a way to rekindle citizens’ trust in public institutions. Calls for greater equality and citizen engagement in political decision-making must be listened to.
The leaders of European democracies should renew their commitment to safeguarding democracy and promoting rules-based multilateralism, as the only way to ensure a peaceful and prosperous future for all Europeans. To this end, the Committee reiterates its support for the organisation of a 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of Council of Europe member States.