Brussels, 09/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - Hans-Gert Pöttering has been an MEP since the first election of European deputies by universal suffrage in 1979. He is the outgoing president of the EPP-ED group and is likely to be taking over from Spanish Socialist Josep Borrrell Fontelles at the presidency of the European Parliament. During the election on Tuesday 16 January in Strasbourg, the agreement between the EPP-ED and PES groups, which was obtained at the beginning of the legislature on the sharing out of presidential powers at the parliament, is expected to be respected. Pöttering's mandate, which coincides with that of the German Presidency of the EU in the first half of 2007, will last two and a half years up until the next EP elections in 2009.
Other political groups announced the candidacies of their members at the end of December. Monica Frassoni for the Greens/EFA (EUROPE 9323), Francis Würtz for the GUE/NGL (EUROPE 9322) and Jens-Peter Bonde for the ID group. The Socialist group will not be putting forward a candidate, out of respect for the agreement obtained with the EPP-ED group. The chances of these candidacies being accepted are miniscule but they aim to put the subjects they hold dearly onto the agenda, notably that of denouncing the PES-EPP-ED agreement. The official closure for candidacies is set for Monday 15 January at the opening of the plenary sessions organised by European Voice. A debate will take place that evening in Strasbourg.
The election of the president of the EP obeys a strict procedure defined in the internal regulation of this European institution. The session is chaired by the most senior MEP, Giovanni Berlinguer (PES, Italy). At the end of the secret ballot, the candidate getting the absolute majority of votes cast is elected. If there is no absolute majority after three rounds of voting, the president is elected at the fourth round by simple majority. In July 2004 Mr Borrell was elected in the first round with 388 votes out of the 647 cotes cast (EUROPE 8752).
Following the election of the president, the 784 MEPs will have to elect the 14 vice presidents and the five or (six) quaestors. Vice presidents can replace the president in cases covered by the regulation, and quaestors deal with administrative and financial work linked to the organisation and rights of MEPs. The election of Mr Pöttering will have some repercussions on the election of vice presidents, as well as on the appointment of the presidents of parliamentary committees who are subject to the “D'Hondt” system, combining representation of political groups and MEPs' nationalities. The Socialists are expected to get the post of vice president. The future president of the EPP-ED group (EUROPE 9339), if also chairman of a parliamentary committee, will not be able to exercise both functions at the same time. Mr Borrell is said to be very interested in chairing the development committee or a job linked to EP relations with Latin America. Other variables should also be taken into account: the increased weight of the UEN group, now the fourth biggest political group at the EP (EUROPE 9328), as well as the announced creation of a new political group close to the far right (EUROPE 9339).
Assisted by 14 vice presidents, the president of the EP will be in charge of all of the institution's work and that of its other bodies (Office and Conference of Presidents), as well as debates held in plenary session. The president is the EP's representative in legal affairs and all external relations and can speak on all of the main international dossiers. At the opening of each European Council, the president expresses the point of view of the EP and its concerns about specific themes and points on the agenda. It is responsible for the EU's budget and together with the president of the Council, signs the legislative acts adopted in co-decision. (mb)