Today the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted in its next secretary general in the second round of voting. Mr Berset is the first Swiss to be elected to this office in the history of the organisation. He will take up his post in September 2024 for a five-year tenure, which may be extended for a further five. The secretary general is responsible for the Council of Europe’s strategic planning, the working programme and the budget. He heads the organisation and represents it externally.
The Swiss delegation to PACE unanimously backed the candidature of the former federal councillor. “We are delighted with the election result and congratulate Alain Berset on his appointment. The new secretary general represents Switzerland in a major European body, thereby reinforcing the country’s role as mediator,” said Alfred Heer, head of the Swiss delegation to PACE.
Holding elections for the key posts in the Council of Europe is one of main tasks of PACE, of which Switzerland has been a member since 1963.