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Plenary round-up – July 2024
The first plenary session of the tenth parliamentary term took place in Strasbourg from 16 to 19 July 2024. The Members of the new ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ (sitting from 2024 to 2029) elected certain of their peers to the most important offices in ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ – the President, Vice-Presidents and Quaestors. During this session, Members also decided on the numerical strength of the standing committees, sub-committees and delegations. They held a debate on the need for the EU's continued support for Ukraine, and then ...
Electing the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾'s President
At the constituent plenary sitting of the new parliamentary term (16-19 July 2024), the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ will elect its 32nd President, to hold office for the first half of the 10th parliamentary term, until January 2027. The President has an important and increasingly visible function in the EU institutional and international setting, mirroring ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾'s influential role as shaper of EU policies and as co-legislator. This further updates an 'at a glance' note of January 2022.
Rules on political groups in the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾
Members of the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ may form political groups; these are organised by political affiliation, not by nationality. Since the first direct elections in 1979, the number of political groups has fluctuated between seven and ten. Following the 2024 elections, the number, size and composition of political groups is likely to continue to fluctuate, with the possible dissolution of some political groups and the creation of new ones. A minimum of 23 Members, elected in at least one quarter ( ...
Lord Henry Plumb (1925-2022): President of the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ 1987-1989
Lord Henry Plumb was the only British national ever to be elected President of the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾, during almost 50 years of United Kingdom (UK) membership of the European Union. He passed away on 15 April 2022 aged 97 and the ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ paid tribute to him at the opening of its plenary session on 2 May 2022, including holding a minute of silence. Speaking on that occasion, ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾'s President, Roberta Metsola, described him as a 'great European and a passionate believer in the power of politics ...
Simone Veil, European political pioneer
Simone Veil, the first President of the directly elected European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ in 1979, and the first woman to hold the office, died on 30 June 2017, at the age of 89. A prominent French public figure beyond her years in office, she leaves an important and enduring legacy. This is an update of an 'At a glance' note from July 2017.
Plenary round-up – January 2022
A solemn ceremony was held in Strasbourg to honour the ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾'s late President David Maria Sassoli, who died the previous week. Following this sad occasion, the main point on the agenda for the January 2022 plenary session was the already scheduled mid-term election of ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾'s President, 14 Vice-Presidents and 5 Quaestors. ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ also debated the programme of activities of the French Council Presidency, with Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic.
Electing the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾'s President
At the January 2022 plenary sitting, the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ (EP) is due to elect its 31st President, to hold office for the second half of the current term, up to the next European elections, following which the new ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ will elect its President in July 2024. The President has an important and increasingly visible function in the EU institutional and international setting, mirroring the influential role of the ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ as shaper of EU policies and as co-legislator. This is a further update ...
Outcome of the special European Council meeting of 30 June-2 July
The special European Council agreed on a package of EU high-level appointments including, the German Defence Minister, Ursula von der Leyen (Germany) as candidate for the office of European Commission President. The Prime Minister of Belgium, Charles MIchel, was elected as incumbent European Council President. Josep Borrell (Spain) was nominated for High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Christine Lagarde (France) for President of the European Central Bank.
Electing the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾'s President
At the July I plenary sitting, the newly elected European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ (EP) is due to elect its 31st President, to hold office until mid-term at the beginning of 2022, when a new election for ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾â€™s President will be held. The President has an important and increasingly visible function in the EU institutional and international setting, mirroring the influential role of the ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ as shaper of EU policies and co-legislator.
Outcome of the informal meeting of the 27 Heads of State or Government of 23 February 2018
At an informal meeting on 23 February 2018, 27 Heads of State or Government (the UK did not take part as the discussion were future oriented) discussed two major topics: institutional issues, in particular the future composition of the European ºÏ·¨²©²ÊÍøÕ¾ and high-level EU appointments, including the Spitzenkandidaten process, on the one hand, and the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), on the other. Conducted as part of the Leaders' Agenda, the meeting did not produce formal conclusions. ...