Tanja Gonggrijp was elected today by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe as the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
In an election held on the second day of the Assembly’s summer plenary session in Strasbourg, she received 135 votes to 59 for the other shortlisted candidate, Marja Ruotanen-Bourdages.
“I am deeply honoured to have been elected as Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe at such a crucial moment for Europe. At a time when our shared values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law face growing challenges, the work of the Council of Europe is more important than ever. I would like to thank the statutory bodies for their trust,” said Tanja Gonggrijp.
Ms Gonggrijp will serve a five-year term at the Strasbourg-based organisation, beginning on 1 September 2026. She replaces Bjørn Berge, the outgoing Deputy Secretary General, who has held the position since March 2021.
The Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe supports the Secretary General in managing the organisation’s work and acts as deputy when required.
Tanja Gonggrijp is currently the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Council of Europe. She began her career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands in 2002, serving as Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives before coming to Strasbourg in 2022.
She has also been a member of the management team of the Dutch Foreign Ministry’s Sustainable Economic Development Department and an advisor to the Director-General for International Co-operation, among other roles.
She is married with two children.
