THORBJORN JAGLAND ELECTED SECRETARY GENERAL OF COUNCIL OF EUROPE
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) today elected Thorbjorn Jagland (Norway) Secretary General of the Organization for a five-year term.
In the first round of the election, Thorbjorn Jagland obtained 165 votes (an absolute majority) and Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz (Poland) 80 votes. There were 245 votes cast.
Mr Jagland has been President of the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) since 2005 and Member of Parliament for Buskerud County since 1993.
He was born on 5 November 1950 in Drammen, Norway. He is married to Hanne Grotjord. They have two children.
Thorbjorn Jagland will be sworn in as Secretary General on 1 October 2009.