Italy’s Antonio Tajani of the centre-right European Popular Party (EPP) won the European Parliament’s presidential election for the 2017-2019 period with 351 votes in a final face-off with socialist S&D candidate Gianni Pittella, who secured 282 votes.
The outcome of the fourth ballot, with 633 valid votes and abstentions, followed the last-minute withdrawal by the liberal democrat candidate Guy Verhofstadt (ALDE), while no candidate won the required absolute majority of valid votes cast in the first three rounds of voting on Tuesday.
“A true pro-European, Antonio Tajani has dedicated his political career to Europe. He will be a strong and a reliable partner for the whole Parliament. We warmly congratulate Antonio Tajani on this result and we thank all the MEPs who cast their vote for him,” said Manfred Weber, Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament.
“His election shows that the EPP Group is the stable anchor of the European Parliament and the force with whom partnerships can be built. The EPP Group guarantees the stability of this House. We are the bridge-builders in the European Parliament and we will continue doing so to bring results for European citizens,” added Weber.
In his first comment after the election result, Tajani said that the European Union “is in troubled waters. After the euro crisis came the refugee and security crises. European citizens expect us to respond. They expect this from the European Parliament.”
“We do not always agree. But we all realise that we have to find solutions. These solutions are not found in more and more Europe, neither are they found in blowing up the European project.
“It is not for the European Parliament President to push a political agenda. That’s up to you, Members of the European Parliament. You decide together the direction in which we go and how we give shape to these changes. Whoever is elected as President of our Parliament should ensure that this is done in an open and transparent manner without predetermining the outcome of decisions.
“As European Parliament President, I commit myself to being neutral, serving all Europeans, focused on the things that really matter: security, migration, and jobs,” he concluded.
The election of a new European Parliament President began with three-minute speeches by the six candidates, outlining their ideas on how to lead the chamber over the next two and half years. After Tajani’s victory, the 14 EP Vice-Presidents and Quaestors will be elected on Wednesday. Cyprus has six members of Europeal Parliament (MEPs).
Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades already congratulated Antonio Tajani who replaces Martin Schulz, with the German socialist expected to run for Chancellor in his country, challenging Angela Merkel.
In a tweet, the Cyprus President wrote: “Congratulations to Antonio Tajani for his election as President of the European Parliament. I wish him every success in his new role.”
Antonio Tajani, 63, has been an MEP since 1994. He was Vice-President of the European Commission from 2008 until 2014, first as Commissioner for Transport (2008-10), then as Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship (2010-14). He became the First Vice-President of the European Parliament in 2014 and has been Vice-President of the European People’s Party since 2002.
