Dear President O’Leary,

On behalf of the European Union and its member States, I would like to express our deep appreciation and thanks for your service as President of the European Court of Human Rights since November 2022.

You took office just seven months following the outbreak of Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine and just six months after this Committee decided to exclude the Russian Federation from our membership.  

Since then, you have successfully steered the Court through a watershed moment for human rights on the European continent.

As President, you have consistently made clear that Russia will not retroactively evade responsibility of its international legal obligations under the Convention as a result of the many human rights violations wrought since the beginning of the aggression. Nor from the many judgments rendered against it before then. 

Internally, you have led the Court’s work in addressing the substantial number of applications pending before it. Your nine years at the European Court has endowed you with a particular expertise on the case-processing reforms underway and already yielding fruitful results since you arrived in Strasbourg.

We are particularly grateful for your role in the Reykjavik Summit last year at which you reminded Heads of State and Government of the unique role of the Court in shining a light on the blind spots that exist in every member State through the equal application of the Convention without fear nor favour.

In Reykjavík, you recalled the many challenges member States are facing today, including rule of law backsliding, attacks on judicial independence, gender violence and inequality, the erosion of effective political democracy, pluralism and tolerance. Under your leadership, the Court has hosted large, public hearings on new and pressing human rights questions arising from climate change and new technologies.

Finalement, votre maitrise parfaite de la langue française montre votre dévouement personnel à la mission bilingue de notre organisation et celle de la Cour.

Il est tout à fait significatif que votre présidence coïncide avec le 75^e anniversaire du Conseil de l'Europe. Alors que nous célébrons la création de la première organisation européenne de défense des droits humains et le rôle clé joué par de nombreuses femmes dans sa fondation, votre mandat en tant que première femme présidente de la Cour européenne des droits de l'homme nous rappelle que nous sommes encore en train d'écrire l'histoire aujourd'hui. Toute votre carrière a été consacrée au droit européen et à la protection des droits de l'homme pour toutes et tous en Europe. Votre héritage ici à Strasbourg est double. Le premier se traduit par les nombreux arrêts et décisions rendus sous votre nom et celui de vos collègues. L'autre est invisible mais non moins tangible : les nombreux jeunes que vous avez incités à suivre vos traces.

Nous vous souhaitons beaucoup de succès dans vos projets futurs.