Before the European Council allocates the European Union's high offices later next week, another pan-European institution, the Council of Europe, will elect its new secretary general. The Parliamentary Assembly will gather in Strasbourg for this purpose.

There are three candidates for the high office: former Estonian Minister of Culture Indrek Saar (Socialists and Democrats, S&D), former Swiss President Alain Berset (S&D) and European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders (Renew).

According to sources who spoke with ERR, Saar is the favorite. Saar himself is cautiously optimistic: "In the typical Estonian way, I would say we need to be modestly optimistic and do our best in these final days. The truth will, of course, be revealed once the votes are counted."

Several factors work in Saar's favor. Firstly, the European People's Party (EPP) has not put forward a candidate, as their representative, Marija Pejčinović Burić from Croatia, was elected secretary general in 2019. Traditionally, the two major political families have alternated the position, making it logically the socialists' turn.

However, there are two contenders from the socialist group this time, as candidates are nominated by national delegations, not by parties. In an internal vote held during the April session, Saar received 72 percent of the faction's support, with the remaining votes going to Berset. Politically, it makes sense for the socialists to consolidate behind Saar to secure the position.

Secondly, Saar has been involved with the organization's work for nearly ten years in various capacities and is well-acquainted with it. Although the other two candidates have stronger resumes in terms of their positions, they lack significant prior involvement with the Council of Europe.

Berset has been active in Swiss domestic politics and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Reynders served in various ministerial roles in Belgium for 20 years and spent the last five years with the European Commission. This might even work against him, as sources have hinted to ERR that his previous high-level positions make him come across as overconfident. Reynders also ran for secretary general in 2019 and lost, garnering 105 delegate votes against Pejčinović Burić's 159.

This time, 306 delegates are eligible to vote, but it is unlikely all will attend, based on past practices. British and French parliamentarians are likely preoccupied with domestic election campaigns, which might benefit Saar. French liberals, who favor Reynders, might have lower motivation to attend.

In recent months, Saar has actively campaigned with the support of the Estonian government, traveling to Council of Europe member states to meet with delegates.

"I've tried to create and use these opportunities as much as possible in recent months. This has meant visiting the capitals of these countries and taking advantage of meetings on the sidelines of committee sessions within the organization. There have also been some official hearings where all candidates presented their vision," Saar explained.

However, it is challenging to gauge how effective this persuasion effort has been, as election outcomes in international organizations are difficult to predict. Unlike national parliaments, where vote distribution is easier to monitor and control, regional nuances and inter-country relationships can come into play here.

To be elected in the first round of voting on June 25, a candidate needs to secure an absolute majority – 50 percent plus one vote. If no candidate achieves this, the top two candidates will proceed to a second round, where a simple majority is required to win.

The secretary general's term begins on September 18 and lasts for five years.

Founded in 1949 and currently comprising 46 countries, the Council of Europe is an international organization aimed at promoting democracy and protecting human rights and the rule of law in Europe. Its headquarters are located in Strasbourg, France.

Under the Council of Europe's aegis, more than 220 conventions and treaties have been adopted, the most well-known being the European Convention on Human Rights, which established the European Court of Human Rights.

The Council of Europe is not part of the EU institutions. The Strasbourg-based Council of Europe should not be confused with the Council of the European Union (sometimes called the Council of Ministers) and the European Council (the summit) which are EU bodies.

Since 1996, Russia was also a member of the Council of Europe, but following its full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the country was expelled from the organization in March of the same year.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!