Nominate the best candidate for the Vigdís Prize for women's empowerment! Launched by @pace.coe.int with the government of Iceland, the prize celebrates gender equality champions. ❗️Deadline: 27 March 2026 Learn more ⤵️ pace.coe.int/en/pages/vig... youtube.com/shorts/5OCMO...

The New Democratic Pact for Europe, accountability for Ukraine, and the balance between security and human rights were among the key topics addressed during the Secretary General’s mission to Belgium. Read more: www.coe.int/en/web/porta...

An essential and open discussion on migration and democracy with Justice Minister @anneliesverlinden.bsky.social. We agreed that a balance between rights and security is needed. A strong ECHR system, an active civil society, and space for diverse voices are key to getting this balance right.

New HELP online course: Business & Human Rights! Learn how states and companies can prevent and remedy corporate-related human rights abuses. ✔️ 6h self-learning ✔️ Certificate included Enrol now 👇 help.elearning.ext.coe.int/enrol/index....

SG @alain-berset.coe.int will pay an official visit to Belgium, meeting His Majesty King Philippe, PM Bart De Wever, FM Maxime Prévot, Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden and Senate President Vincent Blondel. go.coe.int/FlSZ0

Civil society is vital to Europe’s democratic renewal. At the conference on the #NewDemocraticPact for Europe one message stood out: 👉Civic space is where democracy breathes. 👉Protecting those who foster trust and defend rights keeps democracy strong. go.coe.int/dy6zD

Today, speaking with civil society representatives @coe.int, I stressed that the New Democratic Pact for Europe needs you. It needs those who create trust, defend rights, and keep democratic life real beyond elections. Learn more about the Pact & how you can participate: www.coe.int/en/web/new-d...

Good news from the @echr.coe.int : the 2025 Annual Report shows major progress. ✔ 38,573 decisions (+5%) ✔ 11% fewer pending cases. Only 1.5% of pending cases relate to migration. Efficiency + protection of rights = 2025 in a nutshell. Read more: www.coe.int/en/web/porta...

The @pace.coe.int has voted 71–26 (2 abst.) to urge European states to ban conversion practices. It calls for clear legal definitions, criminal sanctions, and strong monitoring mechanisms. Read more: www.coe.int/en/web/porta...

How can Europe renew democracy by protecting and expanding civic space? Join the Council of Europe’s conference on civic participation, innovation, and the path toward a New Democratic Pact for Europe. Starts 2 Feb, 14:00 CET Follow live: www.coe.int/en/web/civil...

The @pace.coe.int held the first meeting of its new dialogue platform with Russian democratic forces. President Petra Bayr: “Europe has not forgotten Russian democrats,” reaffirming support for those opposing the war and envisioning a future, transformed Russia. www.coe.int/en/web/porta...

In a new resolution on threats to the international order, the @pace.coe.int warns that recent US statements on acquiring territory challenge international norms. Europe shows unity in supporting Greenland and Denmark. www.coe.int/en/web/porta...

Ararat Mirzoyan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Armenia: "Each reform, each ratified convention, each institutional development has meant not just a technical change, but a tangible and practical improvement in the lives of ordinary citizens”. Learn more: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

Solemn moment in Rothau where we remember the genocide of six million Jews and 500 000 Roma and Sinti, and all victims of Nazi persecution. Memory is alive here – upheld by young people through the Memory & #HumanRights Garden. #HolocaustRemembranceDay #NeverForget 👉 www.coe.int/en/web/commi...

Lord Alf Dubs: “We have to make sure that the next generation understand it, because people like me will no longer be around – and it is important that the message goes on being spread to the next generation.”

Stand by for tomorrow morning's headline debate at the @coe.int in Strasbourg on "Threats against the international order: the case of #Greenland" ▶️ Read the report by Bertrand Bouyx: pace.coe.int/en/files/358... ▶️ Watch live or on replay from 10.10 am CET: youtube.com/watch?v=u-UQ...

Today, Ararat Mirzoyan, Minister for Foreign Affairs, renewed Armenia’s 25‑year commitment to democracy, human rights & the rule of law. A commemorative stamp and a reproduction of the historic Datastanagirk were presented on this occasion. www.coe.int/en/web/porta...

Good exchange with 🇲🇩 MFA Mihai Popșoi as we move full speed towards the May Ministerial in Chișinău. Foreign Ministers from 46 member states & partners will address foreign interference, disinformation & migration. Seeking shared solutions in the spirit of the New Democratic Pact for Europe!

Addressing the @pace.coe.int, Maia Sandu warned that Europe faces two wars: Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; and an equally dangerous, less visible hybrid war involving disinformation, cyberattacks, and external interference in European democracies. go.coe.int/Ak1nZ

Happy #DataProtectionDay! In a digitalised and inter-connected world, your data is more valuable than ever. The Council of Europe standards protect your privacy and personal data. Learn about your rights and how to exercise them: www.coe.int/en/web/data-...

Speaking at the Parliamentary Assembly of @coe.int session today, I made one thing clear: law is Europe’s form of power. Europe does not need a “me first” politics. It needs democracy first. Human rights first. The rule of law first. Watch the full speech: youtu.be/pWP1UhUDZYY

On the 81st anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, we honour the victims and survivors of the Holocaust. Today and always, we reaffirm our commitment to protect human dignity, confront hatred, and ensure future generations learn the truth of this dark chapter. go.coe.int/NDHWb

On #HolocaustRemembranceDay we pay tribute to the millions of people who perished during the Holocaust, many of them in camps like Auschwitz-Birkenau. Today and every day, it is our duty to prevent & counter the hatred & prejudice that produced such atrocities. #NeverForget

Petra Bayr becomes the 36th President of @pace.coe.int and the 5th woman to hold this office since 1949. Learn more: www.coe.int/en/web/porta...

Good meeting with Mr George Floridis, MOJ of Greece. We exchanged views on democratic security at a time of growing pressures on justice systems, including those linked to migration. Grateful for Greece’s support for the New Democratic Pact for Europe.

A strong start to the first PACE session of 2026: honoured to receive MOJ Hubig’s signature, on behalf of Germany, of the @coe.int Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer.

The Council of Europe and the European Union have signed an agreement on the financing of an advance team to establish the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, within the framework of the Council of Europe. www.coe.int/en/web/porta...

The Council of Europe and the @ec.europa.eu have signed an agreement to set up an advance team for the future Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. A key step towards strengthening accountability, preparing the tribunal’s structures, and supporting justice for Ukraine.

The #PACE winter session (26–30 Jan 2026) will feature an address by Moldovan President Maia Sandu, alongside interventions by Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and German Justice Minister Stephanie Hubig. Read more ⤵️ www.coe.int/en/web/porta...

Aziza Abdirasulova, one of Kyrgyzstan’s pioneering human‑rights defenders, has spent decades documenting torture, arbitrary detentions, and violations of fundamental freedoms. Learn more about her story⤵️ www.coe.int/en/web/porta...

⚖️ The Court held today a Grand Chamber hearing in the case of Kuijt v. the Netherlands 📽️ The webcast of the hearing is available here: vodmanager.coe.int/cedh/webcast...

Kyrgyz human-rights defender Aziza Abdirasulova has been awarded the 2026 Council of Europe Raoul Wallenberg Prize for her courageous work exposing systemic rights violations. Her advocacy has been vital for prisoners’ rights, freedom from torture, and peaceful assembly. www.coe.int/en/web/porta...

The European Committee of Social Rights has published its 2025 conclusions. Key findings: ➡️Excessive working hours in some sectors ➡️Vulnerable workers lack adequate protection ➡️Gender pay gap remains largely unchanged Read more: www.coe.int/en/web/europ...

The Council of Europe has lowered both the European and Spanish flags to half‑mast until 22 January. Our thoughts are with the victims of the tragic train accident in Andalusia, as well as their families and loved ones.

SG @alain-berset.coe.int's guest essay: "The Council of Europe stands ready to defend the right of peoples to shape their own future, uphold international law, and ensure accountability for violations of sovereignty." www.nytimes.com/2026/01/19/o...

Council of Europe Secretary General @alain-berset.coe.int will be in Liechtenstein for meetings with national authorities and Parliament to discuss the New Democratic Pact for Europe and the next steps towards accountability and justice for Ukraine, including the International Claims Commission.

At the first 2026 meeting of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, the Secretary General warned: “From Ukraine to the Arctic: international law at a turning point.” (1/7) 🧵 Key takeaways ⬇️

“Democracy cannot thrive without trust, and trust is built on integrity.” At #WEF2026, @alain-berset.coe.int will call on governments and businesses to strengthen democratic institutions and judicial independence. www.coe.int/en/web/porta...

The Council of Europe hosts an international conference on democratic renewal & civic space, bringing together civil society, member states & international organisations to address today’s democratic challenges. Register by 19 Jan 👉 www.coe.int/en/web/civil...

Deadly crackdown on protests in Iran. Internet blackout. Regional and global stability is at stake. Int'l law and UN Charter principles must prevail. I've convened a meeting with Ambassadors of neighbouring @coe.int member states to explore steps to defend rights and avert escalation.

🎼Happy birthday to the #EuropeanAnthem, adopted by the Council of Europe 54 years ago today! Lauding shared values between nations, it became the EU anthem in 1985. Click below to listen to the orchestra's rendition and more than 30 other versions ➡ www.coe.int/en/web/about...

Venice Commission President: I regret to learn of the US President's decision to withdraw from the Commission. Since 2013, the US members have contributed to advancing democracy through law. Losing US membership would deprive us of a valued perspective and experience. (1)

Venice Commission President Marta Cartabia: The Commission remains open to resume working with the United States in support of shared values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. (2) www.coe.int/en/web/venic...

Thank you to Germany and Ambassador Thiele for starting 2026 strong with a voluntary contribution to the @coe.int. Your support for Ukraine, democracy, human rights and the rule of law strengthens action across member states, including for young people, at a time of global tension.

⚖️Notification to UK Government of case brought by Shamima Begum 🔗 tinyurl.com/267xdc96 --- ⚖️ Notification au gouvernement britannique de l’affaire introduite par Shamima Begum 🔗 tinyurl.com/4sjb69sn

FINAL CALL: Only 3 days left! Master’s law students apply for the Junior Crystal Scales of Justice Prize 2026. Awarded projects showcase innovative judicial practices across Europe & serve as research subjects. 📅 Deadline: 9 Jan 2026 👉 Apply now: www.coe.int/en/web/cepej...

Europe isn't weak. But rearmament without democratic renewal is dangerous. Secretary General @alain-berset.coe.int: "Military power is only as credible and safe as the democratic institutions that command it." Read his op-ed in today's @euobserver.com: euobserver.com/eu-political...

“International law is universal, or it is meaningless. Democracy is resilient when it is freely chosen, institutionally protected, and grounded in legality,” said SG @alain-berset.coe.int in a statement on the situation in Venezuela. Read full statement: www.coe.int/fr/web/porta...

Message from SG @alain-berset.coe.int: "As we enter 2026 our task is clear: to ensure that democracy can still protect, still decide and still deliver". Read full statement: www.coe.int/en/web/porta...

🎉 Happy New Year 2026! May this year bring you peace, joy, success, and unforgettable moments. Cheers to new beginnings! What’s your ONE word for 2026? Drop it below! 👇