Previously serving Swiss president selected as the new head of the Council of Europe.
Alain Berset, the previous Swiss Federal President, has bagged the position of Secretary-General for the Council of Europe. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe revealed the electing of the 52-year-old via their online service X. The delegates picked the new Secretary-General in the second round of casting their votes.
Other contenders for the election included EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders and the former Estonian Culture Minister Indrek Saar. Berset takes over from the Croatian Marija Pejcinovic Buric on the post on the 18th of September.
Berset served as Federal President of Switzerland in 2018 and 2023. He's been a member of the Federal Council, heading the Swiss Federal Department of Home Affairs, for twelve long years. In his role during the Corona pandemic, Berset faced threats and required police protection, a rarity in Switzerland. He hasn't been in office since the end of December. Bald-headed Berset is one of the most admired politicians in the country.
The Council of Europe encompasses 46 countries, with Russia being expelled due to their hostile actions against Ukraine. This international organization, stationed in Strasbourg, champions democracy, human rights, and the rule of law across the globe.
