23/12/2024
By letter dated 23 December 2024 Mr Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, requested an urgent opinion of the Venice Commission on the amendments to the Code of administrative offences and the Law on assemblies and demonstrations of Georgia.
The urgent opinion will be submitted for endorsement by the 142nd plenary session of the Venice Commission (Venice, 14-15 March 2025).
23/12/2024
By letter dated 23 December 2024, Mr Marc Cools, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on the amendments to the Organic Law "Election Code of Georgia", pertaining to local elections.
The opinion will be submitted for adoption at the 142nd plenary session of the Venice Commission (Venice, 14-15 March 2025).
06/01/2025
By letter dated 21 November 2024, the Minister of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr Davor Bunoza, has requested the Venice Commission for a follow-up opinion on the draft law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The draft follow-up opinion will be submitted for adoption at the 142nd Plenary Session of the Commission (Venice, 14-15 March 2025).
06/01/2025
By letter dated 13 December 2024 Mr Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, requested an urgent report of the Venice Commission on the following question:
Under which conditions and under which legal standards can a constitutional court invalidate elections, drawing from the recent Romanian case?
The urgent report will be submitted for endorsement by the 142nd plenary session of the Venice Commission (Venice, 14-15 March 2024).
12/09/2024
By letter dated 12 September 2024, the President of the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Ms Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaše, requested an Opinion on certain provisions of Act XVII of 2024 on the Amendment of Laws related to Justice Matters of Hungary.
The draft opinion will be submitted for adoption at the 142nd Plenary Session of the Commission (Venice, 14-15 March 2025).
NORTH MACEDONIA - Request for an amicus curiae
20/12/2024
Strasbourg – By letter dated 20 November 2024, the President of the Constitutional Court of North Macedonia requested an Amicus Curiae brief on international and European standards on the use of minority languages in public life and in the judiciary.
The draft joint Amicus curiae brief will be submitted for adoption at the 142nd Plenary Session of the Commission (Venice, 14-15 March 2025).
20/12/2024
By letter dated 3 December 2024, the Minister of Justice of Kosovo, Ms Albulena Haxhiu, has requested the Venice Commission to provide opinions on reforms in the justice sector of Kosovo. These reforms encompass key areas such as:
- the recruitment, performance evaluation, integrity control, and the status of judges and prosecutors;
- the Kosovo Judicial Council;
- the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council;
- the Academy of Justice.
The draft opinions will be submitted for adoption at the 142nd Plenary Session of the Commission (Venice, 14-15 March 2025).
19/12/2024
By letter dated 4 December 2024, the Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine requested an amicus curiae brief of the Venice Commission on alternative (non-military) service.
The draft amicus curiae brief will be submitted for adoption at the 142nd plenary session of the Commission (14-15 March 2025).
12/12/2024 - 12/12/2024
Brussels, 12 December 2024
The President of the Venice Commission, Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, participated in a hearing on "the Situation of the Rule of Law in the EU" at the Interparliamentary Committee Meeting of the LIBE Commission of the European Parliament.
10/12/2024
Warsaw 10 December 2024
The President of the Venice Commission, Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, took part in the XV Warsaw Human Rights Seminar entitled: Role of the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights in strengthening democratic institutions on the 75th anniversary of the Council of Europe and the 65th anniversary of the European Court of Human Rights (Warsaw, 10 December 2024). She delivered a special address on 'Upholding the rule of law : the Venice Commission's contribution to judicial independence in Europe.'
10/12/2024
On 10 December 2024, the Venice Commission in collaboration with the Central Election Commission of Albania, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’ s project “Strengthening Elections’ Integrity in Albania (SEI)”, and the OSCE Presence in Albania, co-organised a Conference on the topic of the “Depoliticization of electoral administration - the Need for Professional Electoral Workers”. The Conference brought together over 50 participants, including representatives from the CEC, political parties, and civil society organisations. Mr. Saša Zagorc, Substitute member in respect of Slovenia and Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Ljubljana, represented the Venice Commission at this event and delivered insights on international standards and good practices.
The Conference provided a crucial platform to discuss practical aspects related to the implementation of the legal framework ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled for 11 May 2025. Key discussions focused on the international standards prescribing the impartiality, independence, and professionalism of the election administration, as well as on comparative good practices on these matters and on-going developments in Albania. The event also provided a platform to recall the recommendations from international election observation missions in Albania and to take stock of the most recent legal developments related to the conduct of elections in the country.
06/12/2024 - 07/12/2024
Venice, Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista - On 6-7 December 2024 the Venice Commission held its fourth plenary session of the year, with an agenda that included in particular:
Five draft opinions concerning :
- Albania on the implementation of Constitutional Court decisions by Parliament;
- Haiti on possible legislative solutions to conduct future electoral processes;
- Poland on the draft constitutional amendments concerning the Constitutional Tribunal and two draft laws on the Constitutional Tribunal;
- Serbia on the Judicial Academy and draft amendments to the Law on Judges and the Law on the Public Prosecutor’s Office; and
- Türkiye on the composition of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors and the procedure for the election of its members.
Two draft amicus curiae briefs for the European Court of Human Rights were also on the agenda in the case of Staderini and Others v. Italy on the stability of electoral legislation and some features of a mixed electoral system, and in the case of Shevchuk v. Ukraine on the dismissal of the applicant from the posts of Judge and President of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine as a result of disciplinary proceedings, and a draft report on a rule of law and human rights compliant regulation of spyware.
81st meeting of the Council for Democratic Elections
05/12/2024
Venice, Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista - The 81st meeting of the Council for Democratic Elections was held on 5 December 2024 in Venice, Italy.
The Council held an exchange of views with a representative of the Organization of American States (0AS) and invited the OAS General Secretariat, through the Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation (DECO), to become an observer to the Council.
During this meeting, the Council approved:
• the draft Final Opinion on possible legislative solutions to conduct future electoral processes in Haiti;
• the draft Amicus curiae brief for the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Staderini and others v. Italy on the stability of electoral legislation and some features of a mixed electoral system;
• the draft Interpretative declaration to the Code of good practice in electoral matters on digital technologies and artificial intelligence; and
• the draft Report on electoral observers as human rights defenders.
The Council for Democratic Elections is the only tripartite body of the Council of Europe, comprising members of the Venice Commission, the Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. Its aim is to unite the legal experience of the Venice Commission and the political experience of the Assembly and the Congress and to examine all the opinions relating to States and documents of a general nature concerning elections before their submission for adoption by the Venice Commission.
02/12/2024
Tirana - Mr Martin Kuijer, Vice-President of the Venice Commission, participated in a meeting of the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which took place in Tirana, Albania, on 2 and 3 December 2024.
Mr Kuijer participated in a hearing on “The Judicial reform process in Poland and the issues raised in this context”.
28/11/2024 - 29/11/2024
Madrid – The Venice Commission, in co-operation with the Centre for Constitutional and Political Studies (CEPC), organised an international seminar on “Private Powers and the Rule of Law” in Madrid on 28 and 29 November 2024.
This seminar focused on how globalisation and digitalisation have converged in the emergence of “new” private powers, vast global financial and digital powers, which - by virtue of their size and their relevance in the day-to-day functioning of society - have shown capable of imposing a legal framework favourable to their interests, often escaping the regulatory authority and control of status and/or international organisations. Recognising that the traditional legal frameworks are often insufficient, the seminar explored ways to address the impact of these “new” private powers on human rights, democracy and the rule of law, with panels on:
• New "Private Powers": globalisation and digitalisation
• Private Power and the Rule of Law in the Common Constitutional Traditions of the Member States of the Venice Commission
• The Human Rights Dimension
• The Democracy Dimension
• The Rule of Law Dimension
The seminar was live-streamed.
25/11/2024 - 26/11/2024
Mexico City, Mexico – Mr Oscar Sanchez Muñoz, substitute member of the Venice Commission in respect of Spain, participated in the National Meeting of judges of electoral courts of Mexico organised by the Electoral Tribunal of the Judicial Power of the Federation (TEPJF), which took place in Mexico City on 25 and 26 November 2024.
Mr Sanchez Muñoz presented an analysis of the case-law of the electoral jurisdictions during the 2024 elections in the light of international standards. This activity is a follow-up to the participation of the Commission’s delegation in the election observation exercise organised by TEPJF in June 2024.
21/11/2024 - 22/11/2024
Gdańsk, Poland – Mr Oliver Kask, substitute member of the Venice Commission in respect of Estonia, participated in the Annual Implementation Meeting of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, which took place in Gdańsk on 21 and 22 November 2024. Mr Kask represented the Venice Commission during Session 4 on “Observer Rights and the Impact of Intimidation and Obstruction”, to present the Commission’s ongoing work on Election Observers as Human Rights Defenders.
The Venice Commission endorsed the United Nation’s Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, including the Code of Conduct for International Election Observers and the accompanying Pledge, at its at its 14th meeting in October 2005.
19/11/2024
Belgrade, 18-19/11/2024 - The President of the Venice Commission, Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, took part in the Belgrade Security Conference 2024 (Belgrade, 18-20 November 2024) in a panel devoted to “The Judiciary as the Guardian of Fundamental Values: Keeping the Rule of Law at the Center of the EU Accession Policy”.
The other panelists were Mr Christoph Grabenwarter, President of the Austrian Constitutional Court, and Ms Angelika Nussberger, International Judge at the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, both members of the Venice Commission, as well as Ms Mirjana Lazarova Trajkovska, Judge at the Supreme Court of North Macedonia and former member of the Venice Commission. The panel was moderated by Mr Hans Dietmar Schweisgut, Secretary General of the Austro-French Centre for Rapprochement in Europe.
Discussions focused on the support provided by the Council of Europe and notably the Venice Commission to its member States in the context of the enlargement process towards the principles of the rule of law, democracy and the human rights, as well as issues related to constitutional culture, challenges to the rule of law in Europe and independence of the judiciary.
18/11/2024
On 18 November 2024, a delegation from the Venice Commission conducted a series of online meetings in preparation of its draft opinion regarding the implementation of Constitutional Court decisions by parliament in Albania. This opinion was requested by the Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Albania.
The delegation engaged in discussions with representatives from different groups of the Parliament, civil society organisations and the Delegation of the European Union to Albania.
The draft opinion will be submitted for adoption at the 141st Plenary Session of the Commission (Venice, 6-7 December 2024).
15/11/2024 - 15/11/2024
Yerevan, Armenia, 15 November 2024: The 21st Meeting of the Joint Council on Constitutional Justice (JCCJ) of the Venice Commission took place on 15 November 2024 in Yerevan, Armenia. This gathering brought together liaison officers and representatives from constitutional courts to discuss key topics of cooperation, including:
• Updates on the CODICES database and the e-Bulletin on Constitutional Case-Law.
• Further development of the Venice Forum.
• Recent opinions and studies by the Venice Commission on constitutional justice.
Mr Valentin Georgiev, Secretary General of the Constitutional Court of Bulgaria, was re-elected as a co-chair of the Joint Council on Constitutional Justice.
The JCCJ decided that the next 22nd JCCJ meeting will be hosted by the Constitutional Court of Croatia and will take place in Zagreb in 2026.
14/11/2024 - 15/11/2024
Yerevan, Armenia, 14-15 November 2024: The Venice Commission in collaboration with the Constitutional Court of Armenia and the Directorate General Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI) of the Council of Europe organised a high-level conference titled “Respect for the Decisions of Constitutional Courts”.
The conference brought together constitutional court judges, members of the Venice Commission, judges of the European Court of Human Rights, representatives of the Council of Europe, legal experts, and representatives from International organisations and national institutions to address critical issues on the role of constitutional court decisions in upholding the rule of law and protecting human rights.
The speakers and panellists explored the following major topics:
The interplay between constitutional courts and international human rights frameworks.
The implementation and respect of constitutional court decisions across jurisdictions.
The application of the Rule of Law Checklist of the Venice Commission within national jurisdictions.
The impact of media and public opinion on constitutional justice.
12/11/2024
On 12 November 2024, a delegation from the Venice Commission conducted a series of online meetings in preparation of its draft opinion concerning the draft Law on the Judicial Academy, as well as proposed amendments to the Law on Judges and the Law on the Public Prosecutor’s Office. This opinion was requested by the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Serbia, Ms Maja Popović.
The delegation engaged in discussions with various stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Judicial Academy, the Supreme Court, the High Judicial Council, the High Prosecutorial Council, the Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office, professional associations of judges and prosecutors, civil society organisations, and Serbia’s international partners, including the EU Commission.
The draft opinion will be submitted for adoption at the 141st Plenary Session of the Commission (Venice, 6-7 December 2024).
06/11/2024
By letter dated 6 November 2024, the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Moldova, Ms Veronica Mihailov-Moraru, has requested the Venice Commission to provide opinion on the draft law on the Constitutional Court.
The draft opinion will be submitted for adoption at the 142nd Plenary Session of the Commission (Venice, 14-15 March 2025).
President of the Venice Commission - Exchange of views with the Committee of Ministers
06/11/2024
Strasbourg, 06/11/2024 - On 6 November, the President of the Venice Commission, Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie, held her yearly exchange of views with the Committee of Ministers specifically devoted to the impact of the Commission's work.
President Bazy Malaurie provided an overview of the substantive follow up given to the Venice Commission’s recommendations, underlining that the opinions of the Venice Commission have produced an impact throughout the process, from the moment the requests were made until after their adoption. Follow up was achieved through continuing dialogue with the authorities and all the stakeholders. The President also presented the two main projects for 2025: the update of the rule of law checklist and the analysis of legislation on foreign agents and influence.
05/11/2024 - 05/11/2024
Skopje – Following the presidential and parliamentary elections held in North Macedonia on 24 April and 8 May 2024, the Venice Commission and the State Election Commission of North Macedonia (SEC) organised a post-election workshop for members and staff of the SEC and of several Municipal Election Commissions of the city of Skopje and surrounding areas.
The workshop, which took place in Skopje on 5 November 2024, brought together election officials, representatives of the Venice Commission and international experts. It focussed on lessons learned from the 2024 elections, in particular in the field of election dispute resolution.
Participants discussed Council of Europe standards and guidelines, Venice Commission opinions and reports, as well as the experience of various countries, and elaborated proposals for improving practice and tools for handling election disputes.
05/11/2024
Ms Simona Granata-Menghini, Director, Secretary of the Venice Commission, gave a presentation on the updating of the Rule of Law Checklist to the T-PD, which is the Council of Europe’s Consultative Committee of the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (ETS No. 108). This presentation was followed by an exchange of views with the Committee and is part of the process of updating the Rule of Law Checklist on the basis of the experience gained since its adoption in 2016. To this end, feedback is provided by the main stakeholders, including the member states, the Parliamentary Assembly, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, the European Court of Human Rights, committees of the Council of Europe as well as civil society and academia.
The members of the T-PD were invited to propose amendments to the section on the collection of data and surveillance, which is presented as a particular challenge to the rule of law in the present Checklist.
03/11/2024 - 03/11/2024
Chisinau - A delegation of the Venice Commission, including Ms Veronika Bílková, Vice-President of the Venice Commission and member in respect of Czechia, accompanied the election observation delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to advise on the legal framework during the 2nd round of the presidential elections in the Republic of Moldova on 3 November 2024.
The delegation observed the opening, voting and counting processes of the election.
31/10/2024 - 01/11/2024
On 31 October and 1 November 2024, the President of the Venice Commission attended a ceremony and participated in a conference on “STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY - 50 years since the re-ratification of the ECHR by Greece and 75 years since the founding of the Council of Europe”, organised by the Presidency of the Hellenic Republic and the Hellenic Parliament in Athens. President Bazy Malaurie was a panelist of the session titled “National courts and the disruption of democracy” and delivered a speech on “The experience of the Venice Commission for the restoration of democracy in the States of Eastern Europe”.
30/10/2024 - 03/11/2024
Victoria Falls – The 7th Congress of the Conference of Constitutional Jurisdictions of Africa on "Human dignity as a foundational value and principle: A source of constitutional interpretation, fundamental human rights protection and enforcement" took place in Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) from 30 October to 3 November 2024.
The President Emeritus and Special Representative of the Venice Commission, Mr Gianni Buquicchio, participated in the event and delivered an opening speech.
30/10/2024
28-30/10/24 - Haiti - Organisation of American States - Constitutional and legislative solutions for the conduct of future electoral procedures in Haiti
Following the request of Mr. Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) on the constitutional and legislative solutions that could serve as a basis for the conduct of future electoral procedures in Haiti and the adoption of an interim opinion by the Commission, the OAS welcomed a delegation of the Venice Commission at its headquarters in Washington DC.
The OAS Secretary General and the President of the OAS Permanent Council received the delegation. It worked on key issues for the preparation of a constitutional referendum in 2025 followed by parliamentary and presidential elections with a high-level delegation from the following Haitian authorities: the Presidential Transitional Council; the Steering Committee of the National Conference; the Provisional Electoral Council; and the National Identification Office. It took part in the work of the OAS Working Group on Haiti.
Discussions focused in particular on the elements identified in the interim opinion, such as the right to vote and eligibility, voter registration, financing, voting abroad and the appeals system, as well as on the means of organising elections in a context of violence and on electronic voting.
The adoption of the final opinion on possible constitutional and legislative solutions for the conduct of future electoral procedures in Haiti is scheduled for December 2024. The next stages of the Commission's work may concern draft constitutions or electoral laws.
29/10/2024
Kyiv, Ukraine/on-line – Mr Philip Dimitrov, Member of the Venice Commission in respect of Bulgaria, participated in the XІI International Forum on “Implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights in Ukraine” co-organised by the OSCE, the Council of Europe, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, the Supreme Court, and the National School of Judges of Ukraine.
On behalf of the Venice Commission, Mr Dimitrov delivered an on-line speech in Session II “Integrity of the judiciary: in search of the criteria for evaluation”.
28/10/2024
Tbilisi – Representatives of the Venice Commission provided legal support to the election observation delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) at the occasion of the parliamentary elections of 26 October 2024 in Georgia.
The delegation participated in briefings before and after the elections, and observed the opening, voting and counting processes.
The Venice Commission has issued several opinions on Georgia’s electoral framework, most recently:
2024 OECD Forum on Democracy
25/10/2024
The Director, Secretary of the Venice Commission, Ms Granata-Menghni participated in the 2024 OECD Global Forum on Building Trust and Reinforcing Democracy, giving a presentation on “The new frontier of democracy and prosperity: Promoting the rule of law by providing access to justice for all”.
The event was held on 21st October in Milan.
The event brought together Ministers, senior government officials, civil society and private sector stakeholders from all parts of the world.
24/10/2024 - 25/10/2024
Mr Martin Kuijer, Vice-President of the Venice Commission, participated in the Second Annual Conference of the Balkan Constitutional Courts Forum which took place in Pristina, Kosovo, on 24-25 October 2024, alongside the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo. The event focused on the theme “Evolutions in Contemporary Constitutional Justice: The Example of the Balkan Region”.
Mr. Martin Kuijer delivered a presentation titled “Constitutional Courts as Guardians of Democratic Values and Principles: A Perspective from Venice”, where he discussed the pivotal role of constitutional courts in upholding democratic standards and the rule of law.
The Balkan Constitutional Courts Forum, founded on 27 October 2023, brings together the Constitutional Courts of Kosovo, Albania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Türkiye. The Forum aims to foster regional cooperation and uphold shared values, including democracy, the rule of law, and the protection of human rights across the Balkans.
23/10/2024 - 23/10/2024
Sofia, Bulgaria – A delegation of the Venice Commission, including Mr Richard Barrett, member of the Venice Commission in respect of Ireland, provided legal support to the election observation delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) at the occasion of the early parliamentary elections of 27 October 2024 in Bulgaria.
The delegation participated in briefings before and after the elections, and observed the opening, voting and counting processes.
21/10/2024
Yerevan, Armenia/on-line - Ms Adele Matheson Mestad, substitute member of the Venice Commission in respect of Norway, participated in the international conference “Ombuds Institutions and NHRIs amid Turbulent Times: Resilience and Challenges”, dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Human Rights Defender’s Institute of the Republic of Armenia. Ms Matheson Mestad participated, on behalf of the Venice Commission, in Session I, titled : “Institutional influence of Ombuds institutions / NHRIs on the human rights protection system: The core principles of independence and impartiality”.
20/10/2024
On 20 October, two key electoral events took place simultaneously in the Republic of Moldova: the presidential election and a constitutional referendum on the country’s integration into the European Union (EU). A delegation of the Venice Commission, including Ms Veronika Bílková, Vice-President of the Venice Commission and member in respect of Czechia, provided legal support to the observer delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Moldovan citizens were called to vote on two significant matters: first, to elect their next President, who will serve a four-year term; and second, to vote on a proposed constitutional amendment that seeks to revise the preamble of the Constitution. This amendment would confirm the European identity of Moldova’s people, affirm the irreversibility of the country’s European path, and establish EU integration as a strategic objective. The proposal also introduces a new chapter with two articles empowering the parliament to pass organic laws for accession to the EU’s founding agreements and recognising the primacy of EU law over national legislation.
The Venice Commission has issued several opinions on Moldova’s electoral framework, most recently on the new Electoral Code and a pilot initiative on postal voting. Joint opinions have also been adopted on the 2023 amendments to the Electoral Code regarding the ineligibility of individuals linked to political parties declared unconstitutional as well as a joint amicus curiae brief for the Constitutional Court. In preparation for these electoral events, the Venice Commission, in collaboration with the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Moldova, co-organised a webinar focusing on campaign financing and media coverage of the election and referendum. The webinar attracted over 70 participants, including representatives from the CEC and district electoral councils.
Rule of Law Conference and Judicial Independence in Europe
17/10/2024
The Secretary of the Venice Commission participated in a conference on the Rule of Law and Judicial Independence in Europe, organized by the faculty of law of the University of Barcelona on 16th October in Barcelona.