Discover the latest news from the Council of Europe on human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Browse news and updates by country, theme and institution.
‘The game-changers’ – Budapest conference focuses on how to rebuild young people’s trust in democracy
Rebuilding the trust of young people in democracy was the focus of a major parliamentary conference which took place today in Budapest – with recent street protests and political change driven by students and young people in several countries on the minds of several of the speakers. Organised by...
PACE to discuss rebuilding trust in democracy with young people in Budapest
How to rebuild the trust of young people in democracy will be the focus of a major parliamentary conference taking place in Budapest on 27 October. Organised by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) together with the Hungarian National Assembly, the conference – with the...
Council of Europe treaty strengthening criminal-asset recovery opened for signature
Eight countries and the European Union have signed a new Council of Europe treaty that strengthens authorities’ capacity to confiscate assets...
Venice Commission President concludes visit to Hungary
Venice Commission and high authorities of Hungary discuss framework of cooperation for upcoming constitutional reform
Hungary’s parliamentary elections: citizens broke through a captured system, but contestants did not compete on equal terms, PACE report says
The 12 April 2026 parliamentary elections in Hungary were not ordinary elections. They tested whether a European democracy, after 16 years of democratic erosion, could still find its way back through the ballot box. In his report, Pablo Hispán (Spain, EPP/CD), Head of the PACE election...
Hungary’s parliamentary elections: vibrant, but no equal opportunities for contestants
Divisive rhetoric from ruling party also noted by international observers
Hungary’s parliamentary elections: vibrant, but no equal opportunities for contestants, international observers say
The 12 April parliamentary elections saw active citizen engagement, with record voter turnout and genuine choice, but there was no level playing field, with the ruling party benefitting from systemic advantages that blurred the line between state and party, international observers said in a...
Parliamentary Assembly to observe the parliamentary elections in Hungary
A 30-member delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), headed by Pablo Hispán (Spain, EPP/CD), will travel to Hungary from 10 to 13 April to observe the parliamentary elections, alongside observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Office for Democratic...
Hungary’s elections must not be shaped by fear, abuse of state resources or foreign manipulation, says PACE pre-electoral delegation
A cross-party delegation of observers from PACE, visiting Budapest on 30 and 31 March ahead of the 12 April parliamentary elections, held talks with representatives of the authorities, the election administration, political parties, civil society, the media and the diplomatic community. The...
PACE delegation makes pre-electoral visit to Hungary
A six-member delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), led by Pablo Hispan (Spain, EPP/CD), will make a pre-electoral visit to Hungary on 30-31 March to assess the election campaign and political climate prior to the parliamentary elections on 12 April. In Budapest...
Hungary: New reports on national minorities and national minority languages
Council of Europe reports cover 14 languages and 13 national minorities
Hungary: crackdowns on peaceful assembly must be reversed
I am concerned about the prosecution of Géza Buzás-Hábel, a young teacher and community activist now facing criminal charges and the possibility of imprisonment for organising Pécs Pride in October...
Council of Europe Congress condemns charges against the Budapest Mayor, urges authorities to drop them
“I strongly condemn the charges brought against Mayor of Budapest Gergely Karácsony for organising Budapest Pride in June last year despite the national ban on Pride events in Hungary. I urge the Hungarian authorities to drop these charges,” said Marc Cools, President of the Congress of Local and...
Council of Europe anti-torture committee notes ongoing concerns over prisoner ill-treatment in Hungary
CPT has noted some improvements since late 2024
Unleashing human rights: education for, with and by young people
Human-rights education translates the abstract into the everyday with empathy
Nine Hungarian municipalities receive European Label of Governance Excellence
The municipalities of Alsómocsolád, Alsóörs, Bácsalmás, Budapest Capital District XIII., Nagykovácsi, Rigács, Szarvas, Tápiószele and Zalaszentgrót were awarded the European Label of Governance Excellence (ELoGE) at a ceremony held in Budapest on 27 November 2025, with the support of the Centre...
Erosion of academic freedom: Council of Europe calls for stronger safeguards
Protecting academics essential to democratic resilience
A just peace for Ukraine, freedom of assembly and expression, new Charter on youth participation, housing crisis and drugs in European cities: 49th Congress session
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will hold its 49th session from 28 to 30 October 2025 in Strasbourg, France. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, opened for signature on 15 October 1985, the session will be...
PACE seriously concerned by lack of democratic progress in Hungary
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has expressed serious concern at Hungary’s lack of progress on democracy, human rights and the rule of law, pointing to a “worsening situation in certain areas”. Hungary has been under the Assembly’s monitoring procedure since 2022. It is...
Parliamentary Assembly committee seriously concerned by lack of democratic progress in Hungary and ‘worsening situation’ in certain areas
The Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has expressed serious concern at Hungary’s lack of progress on democracy, human rights and the rule of law, pointing to a “worsening situation in certain areas”. Hungary has been under the Assembly’s monitoring...
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