Council of Europe restores Russia's voting rights

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has voted in favour of restoring Russia's voting rights, five years after they were revoked over its illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. 

Despite strong opposition from Ukraine, the assembly voted 118 in favour and 62 against, with 10 abstentions. The move paves the way for Russia to participate in the election of a new secretary general for the pan-European rights body



tomorrow.

Moscow was stripped of its voting rights after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. Russia responded by boycotting the assembly. Since 2017, the country also refused to pay its share of 33 million Euro to the human rights watchdog. 

It had threatened to quit the body altogether if it is not allowed to take part in tomorrow's election.