Last September 30th, 2025, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) re-elected Despina Chatzivassiliou as its Secretary General, granting her a second five-year term starting on March 1, 2026.
In her address following the vote, Chatzivassiliou expressed gratitude for the cross-party support, calling it “a special honour and a great responsibility.” She dedicated her renewed mandate to the entire PACE Secretariat team, acknowledging their “outstanding work” and reaffirmed her commitment to “defend the values of our Organisation and assist you in making the voice of PACE heard as loud as possible.”
Appointed in 2021 as the first woman ever to hold the post, Chatzivassiliou has driven efforts to modernise the Assembly’s operations, improve gender equality, and enhance transparency and efficiency through the responsible use of digital tools and artificial intelligence. Her tenure has been marked by efforts to bolster co-operation between the Parliamentary Assembly, the Committee of Ministers, and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, ensuring PACE’s democratic oversight role remains central.
A Doctor of Law born in Athens in 1967, Chatzivassiliou earned her PhD on the European Convention on Human Rights from the European University Institute in Florence. She joined the Council of Europe in 1993, starting her career at the European Commission of Human Rights — a foundation that shaped her dedication to the protection of human rights and the rule of law in Europe. She is the mother of two children, Ilia and Charles Tsovilis.
As Secretary General, Chatzivassiliou oversees the proper functioning of PACE, implements its decisions, and coordinates the work of its committees. She heads a secretariat of approximately 90 staff who support the Assembly’s President and parliamentarians in conducting debates, preparing reports, and ensuring effective parliamentary proceedings.
Her re-election signals continuity for an Assembly navigating complex European challenges — from democratic resilience to technological change — and reinforces PACE’s commitment to inclusivity, dialogue, and the principles enshrined in the Council of Europe’s founding values.
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