03/01/2022
It is with deep regret that the Venice Commission announces the death of Mr Bernard Owen, a renown electoral expert.
From the beginning of the 1990s, Mr Owen was the first expert to work regularly with the Venice Commission on elections, and in particular on opinions relating to electoral legislation. He greatly contributed to the work of the Parliamentary Assembly, and then of the Venice Commission, which led to the drafting of the Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matters, the Council of Europe's reference document in the field of elections, adopted by the Venice Commission, approved by the Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, and supported by the Committee of Ministers in a declaration adopted at ministerial level. Amongst other things, Mr Owen had created a training programme leading to the establishment of the certificate of election administrator (Panthéon Assas University, 2001-2009), and, subsequently, to the university diploma “Administrator of elections” (Panthéon Sorbonne University, from 2009).
Our sincere condolences go out to his family and loved ones.