21/12/2015
Strasbourg – During its 105th plenary session, which took place on 18-19 December in Venice, the Venice Commission held biennial elections of its governing structures: Presidency, Bureau and Chairs of Sub-Commissions and Councils.
The incumbent President of the Commission Mr Gianni BUQUICCHIO of Italy was re-elected to lead the Commission for another two years. Ms Hanna SUCHOCKA of Poland was elected 1st Vice President of the Commission, Mr Christoph GRABENWARTER of Austria and Ms Herdis Kjerulf THORGEIRSDOTTIR of Iceland were elected Vice-Presidents of the Venice Commission.
The results of elections are as follows:
Bureau:
President – Mr Gianni Buquicchio (Italy)
First Vice-President – Ms Hanna Suchocka (Poland)
Vice-President – Mr Christopher Grabenwarter (Austria)
Vice-President – Ms Herdis Kjerulf Thorgeirsdottir (Iceland)
Other Bureau members:
Mr Aivars Endzins (Latvia)
Mr Gagik Harutyunian (Armenia)
Mr I-W. Kang (Republic of Korea)
Ms Talia Khabrieva (Russian Federation)
Sub-Commissions and Councils:
1. Scientific Council:
Chair: Mr Jan Helgesen (Norway)
Vice-Chair: Mr O. Can (Turkey)
2. Fundamental Rights:
Chair: Mr Ben Vermeulen (Netherlands)
Vice-Chair: Mr Nikolas Alivizatos (Greece)
3. Federal and Regional State:
Chair: Ms Regina Kiener (Switzerland)
Vice-Chair: Ms Sarah Cleveland (USA)
4. International Law:
Chair e: Ms Veronica Bilkova (Czech Republic)
Vice-Chair: Mr Ian Cameron (Sweden)
5. Minorities:
Chair: Mr Jan Velaers (Belgium)
Vice-Chair: Mr Zlatko M. Kneževic (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
6. Judiciary:
Chair: Mr Nicolae Eşanu (Republic of Moldova)
Vice-Chair: Mr Harry Gstöhl (Liechtenstein)
7. Democratic institutions:
Chair: Mr Mikael Frendo (Malta)
Vice-Chair: Mr Dan Meridor (Israel)
8. Working methods:
Chair: Mr Richard Clayton (United Kingdom)
Vice-Chair: Mr Richard Barrett (Ireland)
9. Latin America:
Chair: Mr J.J. Romero (Chile)
Vice-Chair: Mr E.R. Lewandowski (Brazil)
10. Mediterranean Basin:
Chair: Mr G. Jeribi (Tunisia)
Vice-Chair: Mr D. Chagnollaud (Monaco)
11. Rule of Law
Chair: Mr Kaarlo Tuori (Finland)
Vice-Chair: Mr Wolfgang Hoffmann-Riem (Germany)
12. Gender equality:
Chair: Ms Lydia Err (Luxembourg)
Vice-Chair: Ms Jasna Omejec (Croatia)
13. Council for Democratic Elections:
Vice-President: Mr Oliver Kask (Estonia)
(Chair: Mr J. Wienen (Representative of the Congress)
14. Joint Council on Constitutional Justice:
Co-Chair: Mr Evgeniy Tanchev (Bulgaria)
(The other Co-Chair is elected by the liaison officers of the Courts)
The members are appointed by the government to sit on the Commission for four years with a possibility to reappointment.
The term of office of the governing structures of the Commission is two years.
More information about the individual members of the Venice Commission is available on the website of the Commission.