The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) recognized Vladimir Putin as a dictator and urged the international community no longer to recognize his legitimacy as president beyond 2024.
This resolution was adopted on October 13 by a unanimous vote of all 43 PACE members.
PACE recognized Vladimir Putin as a dictator: all 43 members voted unanimously.
"The Assembly calls on the member States of the Council of Europe to recognize Vladimir Putin as illegitimate after the end of his current presidential term and to cease all contact with him, except for humanitarian contact and in the pursuit of peace," the resolution says.
The PACE members emphasized that Vladimir Putin has held power as President or Prime Minister since 2000. Amendments to the Russian Constitution in July 2020 extended his potential presidency until 2036.
The Assembly also recalled the findings of the Council of Europe Venice Commission that "term limit waiver for the incumbent President violates both the Russian constitution and international legal principles."
Dictatorships constitute a threat to international peace and security and to the territorial integrity and political independence of their neighbors, as defined in Article 2 of the UN Charter. Restoring democracy in Russia is not only in the best interest of the Russian people but also of Europe and the entire world, the parliamentarians argue.
The Assembly reaffirmed its support for the establishment of an ad hoc international criminal tribunal "to hold to account the Russian leadership, including Vladimir Putin," accountable for their actions, starting with the unlawful annexation of Crimea, the war in the Donbas region, and the downing of flight MH17.
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