International

After two appallingly bad elections, Russia must conduct a rapid and thorough reform of its electoral system. Membership of the Council of Europe means that this biggest of member states has a duty to do so. Unprecedented mass protest in Russia has set the first changes in motion, but only if Russia carries out still further structural reforms will fair elections become possible. These were the conclusions drawn by SP Senator Tiny Kox, Rapporteur on the Russian elections for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, whose report, presented this week in Strasbourg, won support from across Europe for its conclusions and recommendations, including from the Russian parliament, the Duma, itself.

The Ministry of Immigration and Asylum today announced that the children of a Burundi asylum seeker who committed suicide last week have been granted the right to remain in the Netherlands. SP Member of Parliament Sharon Gesthuizen describes her reaction as one of ‘relief’, adding that ‘this was the only conceivable solution. It’s good that the minister has taken this decision. I am certain that the children will find support in a familiar environment to get them through this difficult time and I hope that they will be able to pick up the thread of their lives.’