The election of former Swiss Socialist President Alain Berset as Secretary General of the Council of Europe was announced late this afternoon (Tuesday 25 June) by Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
It took two rounds to decide between the three candidates: Alain Berset, Estonian Socialist and former Minister of Culture,Indrek Saar and Belgian Liberal Didier Reynders, outgoing European Commissioner for Justice.
With 114 votes (out of 245 valid ballots), the Swiss clearly won, with Indrek Saar receiving 85 votes and Didier Reynders 46.
Alain Berset will take office on 18 September, succeeding the Croatian Marija Pejčinović Burić, who has completed her five-year term.
He will be the first Swiss to hold this position, which he sees as “a collective responsibility” to defend democracy, the Rule of law and human rights, at a decisive moment in the history of Europe.
At a brief press conference following the announcement of his election, Alain Berset said he was determined to continue to make Ukraine the Council of Europe’s priority.
Asked about the situation in Gaza, he said he was concerned about the repercussions of the conflict on European societies and wanted to use Israel’s observer status with the Council of Europe and that of the Palestinian Authority with the Parliamentary Assembly to encourage dialogue.
“This place - the Council of Europe - is dedicated to dialogue”, he stressed. (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)