What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
On September 18, former interior minister Berset will become the 15th Secretary General of the Strasbourg-based organisation – and the first ever Swiss in the job.
The Council of Europe, founded in 1949, draws up conventions to safeguard and promote democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in its 46 member states. As Secretary General, Berset will have his work cut out: war in Ukraine and fears of democratic erosion in Europe have put the Council in a tricky position – not to mention the fact that many are unaware of what it even does.
What do you think: do you see the Council of Europe as helping to safeguard European values? Which areas should Berset focus his efforts on in his five-year mandate? Have your say below.
![alain berset beside a lake](https://www.swissinfo.ch/content/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2024/06/616233870_highres.jpg)
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A Swiss at the top of the Council of Europe
![fam.bolliger99@bluewin.ch](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/wp-content/themes/swissinfo-theme/assets/profile-neutral.png)
New job for Alain Berset as GENERAL Secretary of the Council of Europe. His impact will be limited to beautifully worded, elegant and eloquent phrases / motto "The main thing: General".
Neuer Job für Alain Berset als GENERAL-Sekretär des Europa-Rates. Seine Wirkung wird sich in den Grenzen von schön-formulierten, eleganten und eloquenten Phrasen erschöpfen / Motto "Hauptsache: General".
![Peter Ern](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/wp-content/uploads/user_avatars/09c74ae4260540b89ce49ba8d7a77225.jpg?w=80&h=80&crop=1)
Mr Berset may be a little "unconventional", but I think he is very well qualified as Secretary General of the Council of Europe. He will be a good ambassador for our country.
Herr Berset ist zwar etwas "unkonventionell", aber ich glaube als Generalsekretär des Europarates ist er sehr gut qualifiziert. Er wird ein guter Botschafter unseres Landes sein.
![MARCO 46](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/wp-content/themes/swissinfo-theme/assets/profile-neutral.png)
I have no illusions about his potential to influence the decisions of the Council of Europe. I only hope that he will be a good moderator as he always was after all.
Non mi faccio certo illusione sulle sue potenzialità di influire sulle decisioni del Consiglio di Europa. Spero solo che sia un buon moderatore come lo fu da sempre del resto.
![Mauve-Lac-d`Emosson](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/wp-content/themes/swissinfo-theme/assets/profile-neutral.png)
Alain Berset will do the Council of Europe good, if you only consider how he has mastered our corona crisis. Bravo Mr Berset!
Alain Berset wird dem Europarat gut anstehen, wenn man nur bedenkt wie er unsere Corona-Krise gemeistert hat. Bravo Herr Berset !
![VeraGottlieb](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/wp-content/themes/swissinfo-theme/assets/profile-neutral.png)
Swiss 'neutrality' has already lost enough of its shine.
![Major Wedgie](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/wp-content/uploads/user_avatars/1ce984f22a9344d9b2fea8b462e1d43e.png?w=80&h=80&crop=1)
In my opinion Switzerland needs to stay as far away as possible from the EU. Germany was once the economic powerhouse of Europe. It is now teetering on the edge of failure. Everyone thought that the EU would bring all the club med countries up to the same economic standard as Germany. Instead, they decided to bring the German economy down to the club med level. The same fate could await Switzerland. I personally, do not trust Berset and his faked elevation to almost god like status by the disingenuous media.
![Giannis Mavris](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/wp-content/uploads/user_avatars/01218aae7115405da7dfb58d771b166e.jpg?w=80&h=80&crop=1)
However, this is not about the EU, but about the Council of Europe. These are different organisations.
Furthermore, it is ridiculous to claim that Germany is on the brink of failure. It's a cheap populist narrative that doesn't become any truer just because it's constantly repeated.
Es geht hier aber nicht um die EU, sondern um den Europarat. Das sind unterschiedliche Organisationen.
Zudem ist es lächerlich zu behaupten, dass Deutschland am Rande des Scheiterns steht. Das ist ein billiges populistisches Narrativ, das auch nicht wahrer wird, nur weil es ständig wiederholt wird.
![gaz](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/wp-content/themes/swissinfo-theme/assets/profile-neutral.png)
Firstly and most importantly he will bring an attitude of compromise is always a possible solution, secondly he will bring new eyes to an age old problem, and thirdly he has enough spine to politely tell his compatriots they are a lot of stupid blind fools should it ever needed to be pointed out to them
![RUTH JILANI](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/wp-content/uploads/user_avatars/221e457aa67f42528bfed5ef0d8c32cc.png?w=80&h=80&crop=1)
I hope he remains loyal to Switzerland and represents our neutrality! Unfortunately, I don't trust him, but we'll see.
Ich hoffe er bleibt der Schweiz Treu und vertretet unsere Neutralitä! Leider traue ich ihm nicht aber wir werden sehen.
![Veronica DeVore](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/wp-content/uploads/user_avatars/0f6f91b5785a4a82a136bd7c09b6cd4d.jpg?w=80&h=80&crop=1)
Thanks for your comment! Could you elaborate on why you don't trust him?
![Christian Müller](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/wp-content/themes/swissinfo-theme/assets/profile-neutral.png)
Alain Berset will achieve nothing. Because he claims to have Swiss DNA, but when it comes to Russia and Ukraine, he firmly supports the US line - Ukraine good, Russia bad - and even claims that the Summit on Peace on the Bürgenstock was a success for Switzerland, he is clearly marching on the course of the other US vassals in Europe. With this attitude, he can contribute nothing to peace in Europe. Although I myself paid my dues to the SP until a few years ago, today I have to say that we Swiss can only be ashamed of such politicians.
Alain Berset wird nichts bringen. Weil er zwar behauptet, eine Schweizer DNA zu haben, aber in puncto Russland und Ukraine stramm die USA-Linie vertritt – Ukraine gut, Russland böse – und sogar behauptet, der Summit on Peace auf dem Bürgenstock sei ein Erfolg für die Schweiz gewesen, marschiert er offensichtlich klar auf dem Kurs der anderen US-Vasallen in Europa. Mit dieser Haltung kann er nichts zum Frieden in Europa beitragen. Obwohl ich selber bis vor ein paar Jahren an die SP meinen Obolus bezahlt habe, muss ich heute sagen: Für solche Politiker können wir Schweizer uns nur schämen.
![Samuel Jaeggi](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/wp-content/uploads/user_avatars/c03e686bec844356b20938f72d671f7a.png?w=80&h=80&crop=1)
What a terrible thing .. to take a stand against agression and war crimes in favour of democracy. We would be cowards to ignore what is happening, thinking that somehow 'neutrality' means we are not concerned.
![MARCO 46](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/wp-content/themes/swissinfo-theme/assets/profile-neutral.png)
You may prefer the Russia of the autocrat Putin to the USA, but it is a bad choice: indeed, it shows that you deny democracy!
Puoi anche preferire la Russia dell'autocrate Putin agli USA, ma è una pessima scelta: anzi, dimostra che rinneghi la democrazia!
![Giannis Mavris](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/wp-content/uploads/user_avatars/01218aae7115405da7dfb58d771b166e.jpg?w=80&h=80&crop=1)
Even if for some there can only be one binary world view - here the USA, there Russia: that is simply wrong.
By way of illustration: In March 2022, a total of 141 states condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine in UN Resolution ES-11/1.
Auch wenn es für manche nur ein binäres Weltbild geben kann – hier die USA, dort Russland: Das ist schlicht falsch.
Zur Veranschaulichung: Mit der UNO-Resolution ES-11/1 haben im März 2022 ganze 141 Staaten den russischen Überfall auf die Ukraine verurteilt.
![PropD](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/wp-content/uploads/user_avatars/04c883815a5a4f49b507ea3ff0dc05f5.gif?w=80&h=80&crop=1)
IMHO....Berset won't accomplish much as the so-called European values have gone out the window and he's part of the NWO (New World Order). There's no rule-of-law anymore and the European people are simply an afterthought. Germany, the hub of the EU, is killing the bloc by deindustrializing while simultaneously shooting itself in the foot. Unless Berset has the courage and honesty to "really" make a difference by talking sense into Europe i.e. the European Union especially concerning Ukraine, unfettered immigration, sanctions, the dangers of engaging in NATO, climate change propaganda etc.... then his 5 years in office will simply be another paycheck for him nothing more.
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