Didier Reynders will run for secretary-general of the Council of Europe

Brussels – EU Justice Commissioner and former Belgian Finance Minister Didier Reynders aims to lead the Council of Europe. The announcement of the confirmation of the candidacy comes directly from Strasbourg, the headquarters of the human rights organization. For the secretary-general nomination effective Sept. 18, 2024, Reynders will face former Swiss President Alain Berset and former Estonian Culture Minister Indrek Saar.

The 306-member Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will proceed with the election during its 24-28 June session. The leadership of the organization is an old pet project of the Belgian liberal (who has received the support of his government): chosen by the Ministerial Committee as a candidate again in 2019; he was defeated by Croatian politician and current secretary-general, Marija Pejčinović Burić.

The Council of Europe comprises 46 member countries, including the 27 of the EU, and is not an institution of the European Union. The Consultative Assembly chooses its Secretary-General on the recommendation of the Ministerial Committee, the body composed of the foreign ministers of the member states.