MEPs travel to Strasbourg to elect new European Parliament President

 

Newly-elected MEPs travel to Strasbourg to attend the European Parliament’s constituent sitting in plenary from July 2 to 4. On Wednesday they will elect the new President and 14 Vice-Presidents, and on Thursday the House will elect five Quaestors.

MEPs will also decide on the numerical composition of Parliament’s standing and subcommittees, launching thus the European Parliament’s 9th legislative term. In the following weeks, the committees will hold their first meetings to elect their respective Chairs and Vice-Chairs

According to the draft agenda, MEPs will also debate the results of the June 20-21 and 30 summits with European Council President Donald Tusk and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Thursday.

A flag raising ceremony is expected to take place on Monday afternoon in front of the European Parliament building in Strasbourg. On Tuesday, the session will start with the European anthem, Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, before candidates start submitting their candidatures for the EP’s top post.

Under House Rules, candidates for the presidency may be put forward either by a political group or by 38 MEPs which is the “low threshold” introduced by the revised Rules of Procedure. The deadline for nominations will be announced at the opening of the session on Tuesday morning and is set to be at 19.00 the same day (local time).

On Wednesday, July 3, MEPs will elect their President for the next two-and-a-half years. Candidates have the possibility to make a short statement before the election, which is held by secret ballot. To be elected, a candidate must win an absolute majority of the valid votes cast, that is 50% plus one.

If no candidate is elected in the first ballot, the same or other candidates can be nominated for a second round and, if necessary, a third round, under the same conditions. If no-one is elected at the third ballot, the two candidates with the most votes in that round proceed to a fourth and final ballot, where the one receiving the greater number of votes wins.

Once elected, the new President will take the chair and may deliver an opening address before presiding over the election of the Vice-Presidents and Quaestors.

CNA

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