Estonia: A Leader In Europe's E-Democracy

A European Institute politics expert has revealed that Estonia is now considered a leader in Europe's experiment with electronic democracy.

Kristjan Vassil told a 16 November conference in Strasbourg to launch the Council of Europe's E-Voting handbook that some 100,000 of the country's estimated 600,000 voters now use the internet to choose governing officials.

Couple Wins €190,000 From Portugal After Human Rights Breach

Two former owners of expropriated land in Portugal who complained that their court fees were more than the compensation they received have won the backing of Europe’s top judges.


In today’s Grand Chamber judgment in the case Perdigão v. Portugal (application no 24768/06), which is final , the European Court of Human Rights held, by fourteen votes to three, that there had been:

A violation of Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (protection of property) to the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Court held, by 14 votes to three, that Portugal was to pay the applicants EUR 190,000 in respect of pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage.

New Guidelines On E-Voting

New Council of Europe guidelines on electronic voting will be published on 17 November.

According to Susanne Caarls, author of the E-Voting handbook, the publication does not argue either for or against the introduction of e-voting but is designed to provide assistance and guidance to those who are considering introducing it.

Ahmet Davutoğlu: Europe Must Fight The Rise Of Hate Speech

Social decline is spurring radicalization and hate speech in Europe, according to Ahmet Davutoğlu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers.