"We must continue to work tirelessly to promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law, both on the European continent and beyond in the face of rising extremism, violence and repression, and in a context in which migration and security are very strained issues.

The President of the Assembly therefore has an important role to play in advocating values such as justice, integrity and cohesion, while speaking out against exclusion, hate and an atmosphere of one against all.

The difficult institutional and financial context in which our Assembly finds itself also requires us to strengthen our values of transparency, responsibility and commitment to the democracy that we defend.

In order to resist the adverse winds both externally and internally, the Assembly needs a President with strong convictions and experience.

These convictions and experience I gladly place at the service of our Assembly. In accordance with our values of equality, the protection of minorities and in the belief that I represent all our parliamentarians, I am very honoured to have been elected to this position."

Liliane Maury Pasquier
President of the Parliamentary Assembly

Biography

Liliane Maury Pasquier (Geneva, 1956)

Political experience

• Since 2007: Councillor to the Council of States (Swiss Parliament) – Socialist Party
  In Strasbourg:
  • Member of the Swiss Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (2011-2013: Chair of the Delegation)
  • Since January 2018, President of the Socialists, Democrats and Greens' Group
  • Member of the Rules Committee (2016-2018: Chair of the Committee)
  • Member and former Chair of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
  • Member of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy
  • Member of the Monitoring Committee
• In Berne:
  • Member of the Committee for Social Security and Public Health in the Council of States (2013-2015: Chair)
  • Member of the Committee for Foreign Affairs and of the Delegation for the Relations with the French Parliament (2009-2011: Chair of the delegation)
• 1995-2007: Councillor to the National Council (Swiss Parliament) – Socialist Party
  In Berne
  • Chair of the Council and of the Federal Assembly in 2002
  • Member of the Committee for Social Security and Public Health and member of the Committee for Foreign Affairs
• 1993-1996: Member of the Grand Council (Cantonal Parliament) – Socialist Party
  In Geneva
  • Member of the Committees for Planning, for Health and Environment
• 1983-1991: Municipal Councillor (Local Parliament) – Socialist Party,
  In Veyrier (Geneva)
  • Chair of the Municipal Council in 1989 and 1990
  • Member of the Committees for Town Planning, for Youth and for Budget

Professional experience

• Since 1989: independent midwife
• 2009-2013: Chair of the Swiss Federation of Midwives, Berne