Presidency of the Court
The President
The President of the Court directs the work and administration of the Court (Rule 9 of the Rules of Court).
He or she represents the Court and, in particular, is responsible for its relations with the authorities of the Council of Europe as well as the political and judicial authorities of the States Parties to the European Convention on Human Rights.
The President presides at plenary meetings of the Court, meetings of the Grand Chamber, meetings of the Grand Chamber panel of five judges and meetings of the Bureau.
The President is assisted by Bureau, the Registrar of the Court and by the President’s Private Office.
The President
The President of the Court directs the work and administration of the Court (Rule 9 of the Rules of Court).
He or she represents the Court and, in particular, is responsible for its relations with the authorities of the Council of Europe as well as the political and judicial authorities of the States Parties to the European Convention of Human Rights.
The President presides at plenary meetings of the Court, meetings of the Grand Chamber, meetings of the Grand Chamber panel of five judges and meetings of the Bureau.
The President is assisted by Bureau, the Registrar of the Court and by the President’s Private Office.
Marko Bošnjak
Born on 12 March 1974 in Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Graduated in Law, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Law, 1996
- Research assistant (1996-2002), research fellow (2002-2006), senior research fellow (2006-2008), at the Institute of Criminology, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Law
- Judicial traineeship at the Court of Appeal in Ljubljana, 1998-2000
- Masters’ degree, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Law, 1999
- State Judicial Exam, 2001
- Ph.D. in Law, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Law, 2002
- Independent advisor (2002-2006), superior advisor (2006-2008) Constitutional Court of Slovenia
- Assistant Professor for criminal law and criminology, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Law, 2005-2015
- Lecturer, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, 2006-2012
- Expert Member of the Council for Criminal Law, Ministry of Justice of Slovenia, 2008-2011
- Attorney specialised in criminal law, 2009-2016
- Associate Professor of criminal law, European Law Faculty in Nova Gorica, Slovenia, since 2012
- Judge of the European Court of Human Rights since 30 May 2016
- Vice-President of Section from 15 May 2019 to 17 May 2021
- President of Section from 1 January 2022 to 1 July 2024
- Vice-President of the Court from 1 November 2022 to 1 July 2024
- President of the Court since 2 July 2024.
Marko Bošnjak
Born on 12 March 1974 in Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Graduated in Law, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Law, 1996
- Research assistant (1996-2002), research fellow (2002-2006), senior research fellow (2006-2008), at the Institute of Criminology, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Law
- Judicial traineeship at the Court of Appeal in Ljubljana, 1998-2000
- Masters’ degree, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Law, 1999
- State Judicial Exam, 2001
- Ph.D. in Law, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Law, 2002
- Independent advisor (2002-2006), superior advisor (2006-2008) Constitutional Court of Slovenia
- Assistant Professor for criminal law and criminology, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Law, 2005-2015
- Lecturer, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, 2006-2012
- Expert Member of the Council for Criminal Law, Ministry of Justice of Slovenia, 2008-2011
- Attorney specialised in criminal law, 2009-2016
- Associate Professor of criminal law, European Law Faculty in Nova Gorica, Slovenia, since 2012
- Judge of the European Court of Human Rights since 30 May 2016
- Vice-President of Section from 15 May 2019 to 17 May 2021
- President of Section from 1 January 2022 to 1 July 2024
- Vice-President of the Court from 1 November 2022 to 1 July 2024
- President of the Court since 2 July 2024.
Election of the President
The plenary Court elects its President for a period of three years (Rule 8 of the Rules of Court).
President Marko Bošnjak
Official visits
Visit by the Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro for Political System, Justice and Anti-Corruption
On 25 April 2025, Momo Koprivica, the Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro for Political System, Justice and Anti-Corruption, visited the Court and was received by President Marko Bošnjak. Ivana Jelić, Vice-President of the Court and Judge elected in respect of Montenegro, and Marialena Tsirli, Registrar of the Court, also attended the meeting.
Visit by the Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro for Political System, Justice and Anti-Corruption
On 25 April 2025, Momo Koprivica, the Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro for Political System, Justice and Anti-Corruption, visited the Court and was received by President Marko Bošnjak. Ivana Jelić, Vice-President of the Court and Judge elected in respect of Montenegro, and Marialena Tsirli, Registrar of the Court, also attended the meeting.
Official visit to Belgium
On 3 and 4 April 2025, the President of the Court, Marko Bošnjak, paid an official visit to Belgium, accompanied by Frédéric Krenc, Judge elected in respect of Belgium, and Johan Callewaert, Deputy Grand Chamber Registrar. During the visit, the delegation met, in particular, with Annelies Verlinden, the Minister of Justice of Belgium. The delegation also took part in meetings with Pierre Nihoul and Luc Lavrysen, the Presidents of the Constitutional Court, a delegation of the Court of Cassation, led by its First President, Éric de Formanoir, and a delegation of the Council of State, led by its President, Pascale Vandernacht. During the visit, the delegation also attended a conference organised on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the first ruling of the Belgian Constitutional Court. Lastly, President Bošnjak delivered speeches at the University UCLouvain Saint-Louis, in Brussels, and at a joint Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) - Council of Europe event.
Official visit to Belgium
On 3 and 4 April 2025, the President of the Court, Marko Bošnjak, paid an official visit to Belgium, accompanied by Frédéric Krenc, Judge elected in respect of Belgium, and Johan Callewaert, Deputy Grand Chamber Registrar. During the visit, the delegation met, in particular, with Annelies Verlinden, the Minister of Justice of Belgium. The delegation also took part in meetings with Pierre Nihoul and Luc Lavrysen, the Presidents of the Constitutional Court, a delegation of the Court of Cassation, led by its First President, Éric de Formanoir, and a delegation of the Council of State, led by its President, Pascale Vandernacht. During the visit, the delegation also attended a conference organised on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the first ruling of the Belgian Constitutional Court. Lastly, President Bošnjak delivered speeches at the University UCLouvain Saint-Louis, in Brussels, and at a joint Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) - Council of Europe event.
Visit by the Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence of Ireland
On 31 March 2025, Thomas Byrne, the Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence of Ireland, visited the Court and was received by President Marko Bošnjak. Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, Judge elected in respect of Ireland, and Anna Austin, Jurisconsult of the Court, also attended the meeting.
Visit by the Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence of Ireland
On 31 March 2025, Thomas Byrne, the Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence of Ireland, visited the Court and was received by President Marko Bošnjak. Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, Judge elected in respect of Ireland, and Anna Austin, Jurisconsult of the Court, also attended the meeting.
Visit by the Minister of Justice of Latvia
On 27 March 2025, Inese Lībiņa-Egnere, the Minister of Justice of Latvia, visited the Court and was received by President Marko Bošnjak. Artūrs Kučs, Judge elected in respect of Latvia, and Marialena Tsirli, Registrar of the Court, also attended the meeting.
Visit by the Minister of Justice of Latvia
On 27 March 2025, Inese Lībiņa-Egnere, the Minister of Justice of Latvia, visited the Court and was received by President Marko Bošnjak. Artūrs Kučs, Judge elected in respect of Latvia, and Marialena Tsirli, Registrar of the Court, also attended the meeting.
Official visit to Montenegro
On 24-25 March 2025, the President of the Court, Marko Bošnjak, paid an official visit to Montenegro, accompanied by Ivana Jelić, Vice-President of the Court and Judge elected in respect of Montenegro, and Abel Campos, Deputy Registrar of the Court. During the visit, the delegation met, in particular, with Jakov Milatović, the President of Montenegro, and Bojan Božović, the Minister of Justice of Montenegro. The delegation also took part in meetings with Andrija Mandić, the Speaker of the Parliament, Valentina Pavličić, the President of the Supreme Court, Snežana Armenko, the President of the Constitutional Court, and Milorad Marković and Vladimir Novović, the Supreme State Prosecutor and the Chief Special Prosecutor respectively.
Official visit to Montenegro
On 24-25 March 2025, the President of the Court, Marko Bošnjak, paid an official visit to Montenegro, accompanied by Ivana Jelić, Vice-President of the Court and Judge elected in respect of Montenegro, and Abel Campos, Deputy Registrar of the Court. During the visit, the delegation met, in particular, with Jakov Milatović, the President of Montenegro, and Bojan Božović, the Minister of Justice of Montenegro. The delegation also took part in meetings with Andrija Mandić, the Speaker of the Parliament, Valentina Pavličić, the President of the Supreme Court, Snežana Armenko, the President of the Constitutional Court, and Milorad Marković and Vladimir Novović, the Supreme State Prosecutor and the Chief Special Prosecutor respectively.
Visit by the Défenseure des Droits (Ombudsman) of France
On 17 March 2025, Claire Hédon, the Défenseure des Droits (Ombudsman) of France, visited the Court and was received by President Marko Bošnjak. Mattias Guyomar, Section President and Judge elected in respect of France, and Abel Campos, Deputy Registrar of the Court, also attended the meeting.
Visit by the Défenseure des Droits (Ombudsman) of France
On 17 March 2025, Claire Hédon, the Défenseure des Droits (Ombudsman) of France, visited the Court and was received by President Marko Bošnjak. Mattias Guyomar, Section President and Judge elected in respect of France, and Abel Campos, Deputy Registrar of the Court, also attended the meeting.
Events Presidency
On Sunday, 18 May 2025, the President of the Court, Marko Bošnjak, attended the Inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican. The ceremony brought together numerous world leaders, religious representatives, and over 200,000 persons, gathered in St. Peter’s Square to witness this historic moment. After the Mass, President Bošnjak was personally introduced to Pope Leo XIV.
On 13 May 2025, the President of the Court, Marko Bošnjak, accompanied by Mattias Guyomar, President-elect of the Court and Judge elected in respect of France, and Marialena Tsirli, Registrar of the Court, participated in the 134th Session of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers in Luxembourg. The delegation attended the opening for signature of the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer.
On 14th May, President-elect Guyomar, representing the Court, delivered a statement at the formal Session of the Committee of Ministers.
In the margins of the Ministerial Session, bilateral meetings were held with: Gérald Darmanin, Minister of State, Keeper of the Seals, Minister of Justice of France; Gabija Grigaitė-Daugirdė, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania; Teun Struycken, State Secretary for Legal Protection of The Netherlands; and Alexandre Fasel, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
On 9 May 2025, the President of the Court, Marko Bošnjak, took part in a solemn commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights by the Ministry of Justice of Slovenia in Ljubljana (Slovenia). He delivered a keynote address on that occasion. On the same day, President Bošnjak took part in a ceremony to commemorate Victory Day and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Ljubljana, hosted by the Mayor of Ljubljana.
On 4-5 May 2025, the President of the Court, Marko Bošnjak, attended the 2025 World Law Congress, in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). President Bošnjak addressed the opening ceremony of the congress on that occasion. He also took part in a panel organised by the European Law Institute (ELI) on the Protection of Liberal Democracy and Judicial Independence.
On 23 April 2025, the President of the Court, Marko Bošnjak, took part in an exchange of views with the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, and delivered a speech on that occasion. He was accompanied by Marialena Tsirli, Registrar of the Court, and Abel Campos, Deputy Registrar of the Court.
On 28 March 2025, the President of the Court, Marko Bošnjak, delivered a lecture on the protection of human rights in the European model of democracy, at the University Panthéon-Assas, in Paris.
Former Presidents of the Court
(British)
President from 5 May 1971 to 21 January 1974
