Jean-Claude Mignon (EPP/CD) from France has just been elected President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Taking over from Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu (Turkey, EDG), he is the 26th President of the Assembly since 1949 and the first French  person to hold this office in 23 years.

“First and foremost, I want to make sure in my new position that the rule of law, respect for human rights and the promotion of democracy are not just empty words, and that we are moving forward in these areas, including beyond our borders, in particular by engaging with Europe’s neighbours who are moving down the path to democracy,” he said today. (more...)