The former Federal Councillor Alain Berset has been elected head of the Council of Europe – the first time a Swiss will have led the organisation.
He won during the second round of the election.
In his acceptance speech, Berset stressed the importance of human rights and democracy.
The Council of Europe has a budget of EUR 625m and employs nearly 2,000.
It’s not part of the EU, it has 46 members, and its most well known institution is the European Court of Human Rights.
It was formed in 1949 and Switzerland joined in 1963.
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