“Democracy, the Rule of law and human rights are not weaknesses. They are our strengths. And in 2026, they must remain capable of protecting, deciding and acting... that is the mission that awaits us”, declared Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset on Wednesday 14 January, during a speech to the Strasbourg-based organisation’s Committee of Ministers.
“A collective effort” remains “possible and necessary”, he told the permanent representatives of the foreign affairs ministers of the 46 Member States.
Alain Berset believes that “we are entering 2026 at a turning point. The last two weeks, through very different situations, have revealed an acceleration. An international environment where the use of force is becoming commonplace and where the law is increasingly being tested. A world governed by exceptions, double standards or competing spheres of influence is a more dangerous world”, he added.
In his speech, the secretary general listed the conflicts and confrontations shaking Europe and the world in a process of acceleration which “is not normal” and “we must not normalise it”.
Turning to Ukraine, which is still being bombarded and deprived of heating, light and electricity, he denounced a military escalation that “weighs heavily on the prospects for peace, even as efforts are underway in Europe and with our US partners to identify a credible route towards ending the war” and “a fair and lasting peace”.
The Council of Europe, he reiterated, remains ready to provide its expertise in the post-conflict phase and “to support Ukraine on its European path”.
With regard to the situation in Venezuela, which “cannot be reduced to a choice between condemnation and support”, Alain Berset stresses that it is part of “a wider context, of the continual weakening of the rules-based international order”.
The tensions surrounding Greenland present “a challenge for Europe”, he believes, pointing out that American ambitions regarding this territory are “creating profound uncertainty. For the people of Greenland, for Denmark, (…) for international stability and security”.
They are part of “a profound change in the current international environment, where the use of force is becoming increasingly commonplace”.
In contrast, Alain Berset insists on “the right of self-determination of peoples” as a “pillar of our collective security”.
He also discussed the United States’ decision to withdraw from the Venice Commission, the Council of Europe’s advisory body on constitutional matters.
It is a decision he regrets, but one that should not hamper the commission’s work, which is “essential in a context where the Rule of law is being tested”.
Taking the view that the Council of Europe’s mandate “does not stop at our borders”, he condemned the violent repression and internet blackouts in Iran, which are attacks on human dignity and freedom of expression and present “a clear risk of regional destabilisation”.
In Gaza, says Alain Berset, “despite the ceasefire, violence is continuing”, and “the humanitarian situation remains grave”.
“The decision by the Israeli authorities to restrict access to Gaza for a large number of international humanitarian organisations is a cause for serious concern”, he added.
“These organisations play an indispensable role in assisting and protecting civilians (...) Unhindered humanitarian access and the protection of civilians are fundamental obligations under international humanitarian law”.
This speech by the secretary general of the Council of Europe resonates with the New Democratic Pact for Europe that he has launched.
Envisaged as a collective and inclusive process, the Pact aims to “reinforce [the] foundations [of democracy]” as a “first line of defence against the threats we face”.
The year 2026 is set to be a consultation phase to define its direction.
Link to the New Democratic Pact for Europe website: https://aeur.eu/f/k97 (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)