Okay, let’s break down what this document “21/339: Wahlvorschlag Wahl der Vertreter der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in der Parlamentarischen Versammlung des Europarates…” is all about. In essence, it’s a proposal for electing German representatives to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Here’s a detailed explanation:
What is it?
This document, published by the German Bundestag (parliament) on June 4, 2025, is a “Wahlvorschlag,” which translates to a nomination proposal. Specifically, it’s a proposal to elect representatives of the Federal Republic of Germany (Deutschland) to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The reference “21/339” is likely a document number for internal tracking within the Bundestag’s documentation system (“Drucksachen”).
Key Elements
- Election Proposal: The core of the document is a list of candidates being proposed for election to represent Germany in the Parliamentary Assembly.
- Council of Europe (Europarat): This is the international organization whose Parliamentary Assembly is the target destination for the elected representatives.
- Legal Basis: The document specifically mentions that the election is being conducted in accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of the “Gesetzes über die Wahl der Vertreter der Bundesrepublik Deutschland zur Parlamentarischen Versammlung des Europarates” (Law on the Election of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe). This indicates that there is a specific German law that governs how these representatives are chosen.
Understanding the Council of Europe and its Parliamentary Assembly
To understand the importance of this document, it’s crucial to know what the Council of Europe is and what the Parliamentary Assembly does.
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Council of Europe: Not to be confused with the European Council or the Council of the European Union (both EU institutions), the Council of Europe is an international organization founded in 1949. It is separate from the European Union. The Council of Europe’s main goals are to promote human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Europe. It has 46 member states, encompassing almost every European country.
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Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE): This is one of the two statutory organs of the Council of Europe (the other being the Committee of Ministers, made up of government representatives). The Parliamentary Assembly is made up of parliamentarians from the member states’ national parliaments. These parliamentarians are delegated by their national parliaments.
- Functions of PACE:
- Electing the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe: PACE elects the head of the organization.
- Electing Judges to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR): The ECHR is a crucial institution of the Council of Europe, and PACE plays a role in selecting its judges.
- Debating Current Issues: PACE provides a forum for debate on important issues facing Europe, such as human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
- Monitoring Member States: PACE monitors the human rights and democratic performance of member states, and can issue reports and recommendations.
- Adopting Recommendations and Resolutions: PACE adopts recommendations to the Committee of Ministers (the government representatives) and resolutions expressing its views on various issues.
- Functions of PACE:
Significance of the Document
This “Wahlvorschlag” is an important step in ensuring that Germany is represented in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The elected representatives will participate in the Assembly’s work, contribute to debates, vote on resolutions, and help shape the Council of Europe’s agenda. By sending parliamentarians from its national parliament, Germany ensures that its voice is heard in this important European forum. The document highlights the German Bundestag’s commitment to participating in international cooperation to uphold human rights and democratic values across Europe.
In summary: This document is a proposal for electing German parliamentarians to represent Germany in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. These representatives will play a role in debates, elections, and monitoring to uphold human rights, democracy, and the rule of law throughout the Council of Europe’s member states. The publication of this proposal on 2025-06-04 indicates the German parliament’s commitment to active participation in European governance and the promotion of core values.
The AI has delivered the news.
The following question was used to generate the response from Google Gemini:
At 2025-06-04 10:00, ’21/339: Wahlvorschlag Wahl der Vertreter der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in der Parlamentarischen Versammlung des Europarates gemäß den Artikeln 1 und 2 des Gesetzes über die Wahl der Vertreter der Bundesrepublik Deutschland zur Parlamentarischen Versammlung des Europarates (PDF)’ was published according to Drucksachen. Please write a detailed article with related information in an easy-to-understand manner. Please answer in English.
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