Brussels, 20/05/2015 (Agence Europe) - Anneli Jaatteenmaki (ALDE, Finland) was elected in a secret ballot as a new vice-president of the European Parliament on Wednesday 20 May, following the resignation of Olli Rehn (ALDE, Finland) who was elected to the Finnish Parliament in April. Fabio Massimo Castaldo (EFDD, Italy) was also a candidate for the vice-president's post.
Jaatteenmaki obtained 301 votes in her favour, while Castaldo received 285. Jaatteenmaki takes Rehn's place as the tenth of the European Parliament's 14 vice-presidents. Vice-presidents may replace the president in performing his (or her) duties when necessary - including chairing plenary sittings (Rule 23). They are also members of the Bureau, the body responsible for all administrative, staff and organisational matters in the Parliament. Jaatteenmaki was elected to the European Parliament for the first time in 2004 and was re-elected in 2009 and 2014. (Lionel Changeur)