Council of Europe

03/06/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/06/2026 02:12

Secretary General to stress importance of rule of law at Venice Commission

Secretary General Alain Berset is set to address the Council of Europe's European Commission for democracy through law - also known as the Venice Commission - at the close of its plenary session on Saturday 7 March, underscoring his commitment to strengthening the rule of law across Europe.

He will highlight the Venice Commission's unique role in advising on constitutional matters that strengthen democratic institutions and the rule of law, work he says is essential at a time when the foundations of the international legal order face extraordinary pressure. He will stress that against this growing pressure on democratic institutions worldwide, the Venice Commission's independent constitutional expertise constitutes an important reference for buttressing checks and balances, judicial independence and democratic governance.

The session - running 6-7 March at the Scuola Grande San Giovanni Evangelista - will adopt or endorse a slate of opinions on constitutional and legal reforms in several countries (Finland, Lithuania, Republic of Moldova, Poland, Peru, and the Slovak Republic) alongside reports and its 2025 Annual Report of activities. These documents will be published on the Venice Commission website next week.

The Venice Commission

Learn more about the Council of Europe's work on the rule of law

Secretary General Alain Berset

News

Towards a new European security architecture - Portal

Council of Europe published this content on March 06, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 06, 2026 at 08:12 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]