Former Minister of Culture Indrek Saar, 51, is Estonia's candidate for secretary general. He is a long-time member of the PACE delegation and an honorary member.

Saar is up against Belgium's Didier Reynder and Switzerland's Alain Berset. Both Berset and Saar are members of the Socialists and Democrats grouping in the EU, while Reynder is from the Renew faction.

The final vote will take place tomorrow (June 25) at the Council's Parliamentary Assembly.

In a statement, Pakosta said Saar reaching the final round is a "historical opportunity" and is "very high praise" for his work at the CoE. 

"Indrek enjoys the full support of the Estonian government and the Riigikogu delegation. We have all actively sought further support by highlighting Estonia's efforts in security, digital development, and environmental topics while protecting human rights," Pakosta said.

Saar was nominated by the government as a candidate in December.

"Indrek Saar's long-term experience in the Council of Europe gives him all the necessary knowledge and experience for the position of secretary general," said Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) told ERR News. "Saar has the full support and trust of me and the entire government."

Last week, "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported Saar has several strengths that make him suitable for the top job.

At an internal vote held during the April session, Saar received 72 percent of the faction's support, with the remaining votes going to Berset. Politically, it makes sense for the party to support Saar to secure the position, AK said.

Secondly, Saar has been involved with the organization's work since 2007 in various capacities and is well-acquainted with it. Although the other two candidates have stronger resumes in terms of their positions, they lack significant prior involvement with the CoE.

To be elected in the first round of voting on June 25, a candidate needs to secure an absolute majority – 50 percent plus one vote. If no candidate achieves this, the top two candidates will proceed to a second round, where a simple majority is required to win.

Saar has actively campaigned with the support of the Estonian government, traveling to CoE member states to meet with delegates.

"I've tried to create and use these opportunities as much as possible in recent months. This has meant visiting the capitals of these countries and taking advantage of meetings on the sidelines of committee sessions within the organization. There have also been some official hearings where all candidates presented their vision," Saar explained.

He has previously said his action plan will cover topics such as support for Ukraine, artificial intelligence, and its corresponding legislation.

The secretary general's term begins on September 18 and lasts for five years. The winner will replace Croatia's Marija Pejčinović-Burić.

Founded in 1949 and currently comprising 46 countries, the Council of Europe is an international organization aimed at promoting democracy and protecting human rights and the rule of law in Europe. Its headquarters are located in Strasbourg, France.

The CoE is not part of the EU institutions. The Strasbourg-based body should not be confused with the Council of the European Union (sometimes called the Council of Ministers) and the European Council (the summit) which are EU bodies. The CoE's leadership and personnel decisions are not connected to, or depend on, political deals made in Brussels. For example, decisions about whether or not Prime Minister Kaja Kallas' (Reform/Renew) will be given a high role in the next European Parliament are not connected with Saar's CoE candidacy.

Since 1996, Russia was also a member of the Council of Europe, but following its full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the country was expelled from the organization in March of the same year.

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