EU Parliament President elected, voting for Vice-Presidents underway

(Patria) – Italian socialist David-Maria Sassoli has been elected as the new President of the EU Parliament.

Contrary to many expectations, Dutch socialist Frans Timmermans and German parliament member Manfred Weber were not nominated for the top positions in the EU institutions, which may provoke reactions in the parliament.

Timmerman did not receive support from the eastern part of the EU – Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic – due to his role in the investigation related to the rule of law in those countries.

Sassoli addressed the parliament after his victory: 'In recent months, too many people have deepened divisions and conflicts, which we consider a sad reminder of our history. However, citizens have shown that they still believe in this extraordinary path, the only one capable of responding to the global challenges around us.'

The day before, German Defence Minister Ursula Von der Leyen (60), a member of Angela Merkel's conservatives, was elected President of the European Commission. Her appointment must be confirmed by the parliament with at least half plus one vote, and the vote will be held in mid-July. If the appointment is not confirmed, the European Council will have to propose another candidate within a month.

Resistance to von der Leyen is expected particularly from German socialists. Former President of the European Parliament, German socialist Martin Schulz called Ursula Von der Leyen 'the weakest minister' and added that this 'seems sufficient to become head of the Commission'.