Last Saturday, Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili was re-elected as the ECU President. The ticket of Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili was elected with 35 votes in favour in a total of 53 votes cast. “Saturday’s result in Europe gives us great encouragement that a positive and constructive approach is earning the confidence of federations around the world,” say FIDE President Candidate Jan Henric Buettner and Candidate for Deputy President of FIDE Malcolm Pein and release the following open letter
Jan Henric Buettner extends invitation to Wadim Rosenstein for the FIDE elections
Bucharest, Romania 20 July 2026
Saturday’s ECU elections in Bucharest were a great boost for our FIDE presidential campaign.
The ECU presidential ticket, supported by our team, received 35 of the 53 votes cast, while the two tickets apparently supported by the other FIDE presidential tickets received 11 votes and 7 votes respectively.
Although this was an election for the European Chess Union and not the FIDE Presidency, the result demonstrates the credibility, unity and strength of the broad coalition we are building across the international chess community.
We congratulate the new ECU Board on their mandate and look forward to working closely with them in the years ahead.
We have had the privilege of speaking personally with federations across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Throughout these conversations, we have consistently advocated a simple vision: a FIDE that listens to every federation, treats every member with equal respect, and creates more opportunities for federations of every size.
Saturday’s result in Europe gives us great encouragement that a positive and constructive approach is earning the confidence of federations around the world.
We are sincerely grateful to the increasing number of federations who are placing their trust in our vision and our team.
At the same time, we believe that the upcoming FIDE election should unitenot dividethe global chess community.
We extend an invitation to the federations who supported Wadim Rosenstein’s ticket to work together with us in shaping the future of FIDE.
We would also welcome constructive cooperation with WR Chess on how it can continue to contribute to international chess within the FIDE framework, in accordance with FIDE’s regulations and sporting standards.
Our campaign has never been about personalities. It has always been about bringing together the strongest possible team to serve every federation and strengthen the global chess community.
Saturday’s vote demonstrated that cooperation builds confidence. We believe the same spirit can help unite federations from every continent ahead of the FIDE General Assembly in Samarkand.
Our commitment remains unchanged:
Strengthening Federations. Growing Chess Together. Creating Opportunities.
Jan Henric Buettner Malcolm Pein
Candidate for President of FIDE Candidate for Deputy President of FIDE
More on the ECU General Assembly
The ECU General Assembly and Elections 2026 took place on Saturday, 18th of July, at the premises of the Romanian Olympic Committee in Bucharest, Romania.
The guests of honour at the opening ceremony were Mr Mihai Claudiu, President of the Romanian Olympic Committee and an Olympic fencing champion, and Mrs Nadia Elena Comaneci, a five-time Olympic gymnastics champion and one of the greatest athletes in history. In her opening speech, Comaneci delivered a powerful message expressing her wish for chess to become an Olympic sport.
The President of the Romanian Chess Federation, Mr Vlad Ardeleanu, welcomed the delegates and presented a special coin, made by the State Mint of Romania (Monetăria Statului), to the guests of honour: Mr Mihai Claudiu and Mrs Nadia Elena Comaneci.
53 federations attended the General Assembly and following the ECU GA 2026 Agenda. Main information and decisions:
- The Minutes of the ECU General Assembly 2025 held on 10th of October 2025 in Batumi, Georgia were approved.
- The ECU President Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili reported on the activities of the European Chess Union from October 2025 – July 2026, followed by a video report on the Board activities.
- ECU Treasurer Mr. Ion Dobronauteanu reported and the closing of the year 2025 was approved.
- The Delegates approved the ECU Budget 2027.
- The Assembly discharged the ECU Board for the year 2025
European Chess Union Elections 2026
By the deadline of 17th April 2026 the following combine tickets have been received by alphabetic order:
Ticket: Zurab, Azmaiparashvili
- President: Mr. Zurab, Azmaiparashvili (GEO)
- Deputy President: Mr. Vlad, Ardeleanu (ROM)
- Vice President: Mrs. Ingrid, Lauterbach (GER)
- Vice President: Mr. Lasse Ostebo, Lovik (NOR)
- Secretary General: Mr. Theodoros, Tsorbatzoglou (GRE)
- Treasurer: Ms. Prabitha, Urwyler (SUI)
Ticket : Bachar, Kouatly
- President: Mr. Bachar, Kouatly (FRA)
- Deputy President: Mr. Radoslaw, Jedynak (POL)
- Vice President: Mr. Loek van Wely (NED)
- Vice President: Ms. Maria, Gevorgyan (ARM)
- Secretary General: Mr. Tom, Kalnins (LAT)
- Treasurer: Mr. Birger, Wenzel (GER)
Ticket : Lukasz, Turlej
- President: Mr. Lukasz, Turlej (POL)
- Deputy President: Mr. Roman, Muzik (CZE)
- Vice President: Mr. Jonathan, O’Connor (IRL)
- Vice President: Mrs. Katrin, Didriksen Apol (FAI)
- Secretary General: Mr. Alojzije, Jankovic (CRO)
- Treasurer: Mr. Gunnar, Bjornsson (ISL)
The ticket of Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili was elected with 35 votes in favour in a total of 53 votes cast. The final results were:
- Ticket of Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili: 35 votes
- Ticket of Mr. Lukasz Turlej: 11 votes
- Ticket of Mr. Bachar Kouatly: 7 votes.
Individual elections for 3 Vice Presidents and Elections for the ECU Auditor
The ECU Elections continued with voting for the ECU Vice Presidents. By the deadline of 17th April 2026 the following individual candidates have been received: Mr. Sarkhan, Gashimov (AZE), Mr. Malcolm, Pein (ENG), Mr. Jean Michel, Rapaire (MNC), Mr. Milan, Roman (SVK), and Mrs. Antoaneta, Stefanova (BUL).
According to the ECU Statutes, a defeated candidate from a combined ticket had the right to run in the individual elections for the three (3) Vice Presidents.
Mr. Roman Muzik (CZE) casted this right and turned his candidacy for the individual elections.
Before the voting, the individual candidates were invited to introduce themselves to the Delegates and Audience, and Mr. Malcolm Pein (ENG) withdrew from the candidacy. Therefore, the final list of individual candidates for the three (3) Vice Presidents was:
- Mr. Sarkhan Gashimov (AZE)
- Mr. Jean Michel Rapaire (MNC)
- Mr. Milan Roman (SVK)
- Mrs. Antoaneta Stefanova (BUL)
- Mr. Roman Muzik (CZE)
By the deadline of 16th of July 2026, the following nominations from ECU member National Chess Federations were received for the elections of the Auditor for a term of office for four years:
- Mr. Kevin Hoegy (GER)
- Mr. Peter Wyss (SUI)
The Delegates then proceeded to the voting procedure and elected as ECU Vice Presidents:
- Mr. Sarkhan Gashimov (AZE),
- Mr. Jean Michel Rapaire (MNC), and
- Mr. Roman Muzik (CZE).
The Delegates simultaneously casted their votes for the Auditor and Mr. Petr Wyss (SUI) was elected.
The re-elected President Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili announced the following appointments with no objection from the ECU General Assembly.
- Mr. Malcom Pein (ENG) -(Honorary Vice President)
- Mr. Wolodymyr Kovalchuck (UKR) (Honorary Vice President)
- Mr. Moshe Slav (ISR) (Honorary Vice President)
- Mr. Vanja Draskovic (MNE) (Honorary Vice President)
- Mr. Fethi Apaydın (TUR) Chairman of the European Chess Union Advisory Board
The ECU General Assembly approved the rules for the ECU Associate Members, and the European Super League.
The ECU General Assembly 2026 concluded with the note that the next ECU General Assembly will take place in Lagos, Portugal parallel to European Team Chess Championship 2027.