10/12/2021 (Agence Europe) – Claire Bazy Mallaurie, a member of the Constitutional Council of France since 2010, was elected today as President of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission. She succeeds the Italian Gianni Buquicchio, who has been President since 2009. Ms Bazy Mallaurie will start a two-year term and will be eligible for re-election in 2023. She has been a member of the Venice Commission since 2014. Mr Buquicchio will become “Special Representative” of this Commission for Democracy through Law which was created in 1990 to provide constitutional assistance to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. It has subsequently evolved into a reference body for constitutional law and can be referred to by the State concerned, one of the statutory bodies of the Council of Europe, the OSCE and the European Union. Although non-binding, the vast majority of its recommendations are followed. (VL)