In a contentious decision, the Council of Europe has voted to reinstate Russia as a full member with voting rights. The assembly voted 118 in favor and 62 against, with 10 abstentions. The Council was established to support democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in member countries. The decision comes five years after Russian voting rights were taken away in response to the annexation of the Crimea, Ukraine. Additionally, Russia has carried out other acts in the years after 2014 that have angered other members, such as the ongoing support of Assad in Syria. Since 2016, Russia has opted to not participate in the Council, neglecting to pay membership fees for the interim. Due to these concerns, Russia was scheduled to lose membership status of the Council this year. Many in favor of Russia's reinstatement worry that exclusion would be most detrimental to the Russian people. The vote, in which many previous Soviet Block countries opposed the measure, will reinstate Russia as a full voting member.
