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Alain Berset

Secretary General elect of the Council of Europe

 

Former President of the Swiss Confederation and Head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs in charge of health, social security, culture, gender equality, prevention of racism, amongst other areas.

A Swiss politician with longstanding experience at the highest executive and legislative levels engaged in solution-oriented consensus-building, decision-making and responsible for the management of complex structures.

Fully committed to multilateralism, international law, the rule of law and human rights and steadfastly engaged for the respect of democratic principles and strong institutions at the national and international levels.

I have always been committed to human rights, democracy and the rule of law. As Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the Reykjavík Declaration will be the compass guiding my commitment to our shared values and the people who call our continent home.

Signing ceremony with Moldovan President Maia Sandu during her official visit to Switzerland. Photo: Keystone

Exchange with students at the University of Lausanne during the state visit of President Emmanuel Macron to Switzerland, 16 November 2023. Photo: FDFA

Discussion with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Granada. Photo: Keystone

→ Committed

to promoting operational action by the Council of Europe supporting Ukraine and its people in the face of Russia’s war of aggression.

Determined

to ensure that the Council of Europe carries real political weight on our continent.

Convinced

that democratic principles and ‘living together’ are the core strengths of a European family of nations founded on the rule of law.

Resolved

to put the commitments made at the Summit in Reykjavík into action.

Official meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Ottawa. Photo: Office of the Prime Minister

At the WEF in Davos with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, 17 January 2023. Photo: Keystone

Exchange with UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the UN Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai. Photo: COP28