Threats against democracy, the challenge of AI and what parliaments can do to renew the rules-based international order are the three headline themes at a summit of Speakers and Presidents of Parliament from the 46 member states of the Council of Europe and beyond which took place in Rome on 15-16 October 2026.
Opening the 2026 European Conference of Presidents of Parliament, PACE President Petra Bayr emphasized: “Dialogue between parliaments is not a formality. It is a necessity”. She pointed out: “Hybrid attacks, artificial intelligence, the erosion of international law: none of these can be solved within the walls of a single parliament. Each of us holds only part of the answer. Our democracies are only as strong as the connections between them.”
The Ukrainian delegation, led by Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, also took part in the conference*.
Addressing the session "Resilient democracies: united against hybrid threats", Mr Stefanchuk expressed his gratitude to the parliaments, leaders and governments of the member states “for their solidarity, for every political decision and every act of military aid, for providing refuge to the Ukrainian people and for the sanctions against the Russian aggressor”. He recalled that Ukrainian cities were being shaken by terrible strikes and that, under the constant threat of airstrikes, the Ukrainian Parliament was operating. Referring to the recent Russian attacks, he expressed concern about disruptions to the transmission of data from early-warning systems relating to missile launches, which had impacted Ukraine’s military capabilities.
Some 70 Speakers or Deputy Speakers of national parliaments, together with some 500 delegates and the heads of several inter-parliamentary assemblies, gathered at the conference, organised by PACE and hosted by the Italian Parliament.
The conference underscored that parliaments must stand resolute as guardians of shared values – human rights, democracy and the rule of law – ensuring that people and their dignity remain at the centre of all transformations. Strengthening democratic resilience requires international solidarity and unwavering support for Ukraine, including upholding its right to a just and lasting peace and ensuring that accountability mechanisms are fully operational. Renewing the rules-based international order and making it more responsive and effective also calls for greater investment in international justice and multilateral institutions.
The first European Conference of Presidents of Parliament was held in 1975. It takes place in principle every two years, hosted alternately in Strasbourg and in the capital of a Council of Europe member state. The most recent conferences took place in Strasbourg (2025), Dublin (2023) and Athens (2021).
More information about the Conference:
- European Conference of Presidents of Parliament (15 and 16 October 2026, Rome)
- Video of the opening part and the debate (Day 1)
- Video of the debate (Day 2)
- Conclusions of the Conference
*The participation of the delegation from the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the conference was supported by the Council of Europe project “Support to the Ukrainian Parliament (PACE UP)”, implemented by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe within the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” 2023–2026.
