29 June 2026

By Carina Ödebrink (Sweden), Rapporteur of the OSCE PA’s General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions

This op-ed was originally published at European Interest.

Less than a year ago, we marked the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act — a milestone intended to reaffirm the shared principles that have anchored security and co-operation across the OSCE region for over half a century. Yet, as the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly gathers in The Hague this summer for its 33rd Annual Session, it is all too clear this historic opportunity was never fully realized. Instead of a renewed commitment to stability, we are witnessing an unprecedented strain on our institutions and a steady erosion of the values upon which they were built.

Essentially, we are navigating a “democratic recession,” characterized by a widening gap between agreed international standards and their implementation in practice. States are acting with growing impunity, often invoking national security to bypass shared norms. This trajectory does more than just threaten regional stability; it directly compromises the safety, dignity, and security of nearly one billion people represented by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

The evidence of this decline is visible in the instrumentalization of democratic mechanisms. Across the OSCE region, the number of political prisoners continues to grow. Journalists, opposition politicians, human rights defenders and ordinary citizens are imprisoned for exercising rights that participating States have committed themselves to protect.

In many participating States, elections and judicial processes are being used to entrench power rather than ensure accountability. Dissenting voices, human rights defenders, and opposition figures face arbitrary detention and politically motivated prosecutions. Meanwhile, independent media workers endure harassment and surveillance, and civil society organizations are marginalized by restrictive “foreign agent” laws.

The digital age has intensified these pressures. Rapid technological advances, including artificial intelligence, are being exploited to spread disinformation and interfere in democratic processes, undermining public trust and media freedom. Without upholding human rights and strengthening democratic institutions, no other dimension of security — economic or military — can achieve a lasting impact.

The most harrowing consequence of this disregard for international law is seen in conflict zones. In Ukraine, Russia’s full-scale war of aggression has entered its fifth year. The human toll is staggering, with many thousands of civilians killed, four million internally displaced, and nearly six million seeking refuge abroad. Perhaps most reprehensible is the forced deportation of more than 19,000 Ukrainian children to Russia, a grave violation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Yet, the instability is not confined to one region. Recent escalations in the Middle East, including the outbreak of war in Iran in early 2026 and hostilities in Lebanon and Gaza, have caused immense suffering and pose a real risk of spillover into the OSCE area. These conflicts exacerbate social divisions, fueling religious animosity, bigotry, and other forms of targeted hostility within our own borders – exacerbated by a displacement crisis of historic proportions, with Europe now hosting approximately 19 million forcibly displaced persons.

As democratic norms weaken, vulnerable groups face the greatest risks. Gender-based violence has surged, with verified cases in conflict areas increasing by 87 per cent since 2022. LGBTQ+ individuals face systemic harassment, and ethnic minorities like the Roma continue to encounter social exclusion and restricted access to essential services. These are not merely domestic issues; they are failures to meet international human rights obligations that states are legally bound to uphold.

Despite these challenges, the OSCE remains a singular and indispensable framework. Its human dimension — codified in numerous documents and embodied by institutions like the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) — provides a unique combination of expertise and operational capacity.

However, the organization itself is under pressure. Political impasses have prevented the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting from taking place since 2021, and the absence of a unified budget for several years has limited the OSCE’s ability to function.

Meanwhile, attacks on civil society organizations weaken a pillar of democratic accountability. Civil society is not merely another stakeholder in democratic societies. It is often the first line of defence against authoritarianism, corruption and human rights abuses. When governments restrict the work of independent organizations, they weaken democracy itself.

Therefore, this is clearly a defining moment for the rules-based international order. If we allow our institutions to be hollowed out by deadlock and budget cuts, we jeopardize the security and prosperity of the entire region.

As parliamentarians, we serve as the vital bridge between international norms and national realities. We have a critical responsibility to use our legislative and oversight roles to ensure these standards are translated into practice. We therefore must act now to restore responsible state conduct and reassert respect for international law. The founding mission of the OSCE — comprehensive security through diplomacy and human rights — is not a relic of the past; it is the only viable path for our future.

For more information on the OSCE PA’s 33rd Annual Session, please click here.