In November, for the first time, a woman will become president of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Irish judge Siofra O’Leary was elected to the post on Monday, the Council of Europe’s judicial institution announced.
Already vice-president of the court based in Strasbourg since January, Siofra O’Leary will succeed Icelandic judge Robert Spano, in office since spring 2020. The mandate of president of the ECHR is for a maximum of three years, but that of Siofra O’Leary, 53, will end in July 2024, when her nine-year term as a judge at the ECHR, which began in July 2015, ends. Judges are not eligible for re-election.
Siofra O’Leary elected by 46 judges
The President of the ECHR is elected by the 46 judges of the court (one judge per member country of the Council of Europe). In addition to representative functions, his mission is to preside over the hearings of the Grand Chamber, which deal with the most sensitive cases of the Strasbourg court.
Luxembourg judges Georges Ravarani and Slovenian Marko Bošnjak were also elected vice-presidents of the ECHR on Monday. They will take office on November 1.