Andorra Delegation Leads PACE Debates on Azerbaijan, Georgia, and AI Threats in Strasbourg

Andorra's parliamentary delegation, led by Berna Coma and Meri Alcobé—also referred to as Meritxell Alcobé in some reports—has taken part in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) plenary session in Strasbourg, France, running from 24 to 28 June.

The Consell General representatives, with Coma serving as delegation president, have engaged in discussions reviewing political conditions in Azerbaijan alongside evaluations of democratic institutions in Georgia and Serbia. Debates have also covered democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in Iran, as well as protecting democratic systems from artificial intelligence threats and countering transnational repression.

Other agenda items have included violent pornography, media freedom in sports coverage, reducing gender stereotypes in media, and healthcare access for migrants and refugees. The session has featured the election of a new Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe and the awarding of the third Vigdís Prize for women's empowerment to one of three finalists.

The Andorran participation aligns with the Consell General's broader activities, including the recent publication of the long-lost Book IV of its Acts, covering 1743 to 1864. Recovered in February 2024 after over a century missing—stolen from the Armari de les Sis Claus early in the 20th century—the restored and digitized volume details a formative period in Andorra's political identity, marked by economic challenges, customs issues, and the 1866 Nova Reforma electoral changes. The preserved sections span 28 October 1743 to 9 May 1864, though the final notebook listing consuls and councillors from 1817 to 1864 remains absent.