On Friday 28 April, the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) reached a common position making its mistrust in its President, Pedro Agramunt, official. Agramunt's meeting in late March with the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, has prompted an unprecedented row in the hemicycle (see EUROPE 11774, 11773).
In his written statement promised at his hearing of Tuesday 25 April and submitted to the Bureau first thing on Friday, Agramunt did not offer his resignation as called for by most of the presidents of the political groups. He made no reference to it, but regretted the fact that his visit - that had been made personally as a Spanish Senator - had been misused by what he described as a highly specific group of parliamentarians.
He concluded by urging the Bureau to return to consensus to meet the common fundamental objectives.
The Bureau is entirely dissatisfied with this position. As it cannot technically force him to step down, it is now withdrawing its confidence. “Agramunt is no longer authorised to carry out official visits, attend meetings or make public statements on behalf of the Assembly as its President”, British Conservative Sir Roger Gale, the First Vice-President of the Assembly, announced after the meeting.
“The standards and principles of the Parliamentary Assembly are more important than any of its individual members and the integrity of our assembly must be maintained”, he added.
Stressing that this was not a personal matter or a political settling of scores, Michele Nicoletti, president of the Socialist group, described it as a “very difficult decision on a human level”, adding that Agramunt's good faith was not in question, but that it was necessary to clarify the situation and send out a clear message: “our institution will react to any attempt at manipulation. It is ready and willing to do so”.
As things stand, it is hard to see how Agramunt will be able to keep his hand on the Assembly's tiller until January of next year, when his successor will be elected. Nor is it clear who would be able to take over the role between now and the end of 2017. Theoretically, however, it would have to be a parliamentarian who is a member, like Agramunt, of the European People's Party.
This is due to an agreement between the principal groups of PACE that provides for a rotating presidency. The post is currently in the hands of the EPP and will pass to a Socialist at the start of 2018. (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)