Martin Schulz is the new president of the European Parliament. Collecting 387 votes out of 670 valid ones (57.8%) in the first round, the former S&D leader defeated, on 17 January, two Brits – Diana Wallis (ALDE) and Nirj Deva (ECR) – and replaces outgoing Jerzy Buzek at the head of the EP during the traditional mid-mandate shake-up of political roles. The 56-year old German MEP’s victory came as no surprise in light of the power-sharing deal struck between the two largest groups in Parliament – EPP and Socialists – at the beginning of the current mandate. In his opening speech, Schulz called for the Parliament to “have a seat at the table at European summits”. Several diplomats say no way.

Wallis and Deva, who both denounced the deal passed between EPP and S&D, collected 142 and 141 votes, respectively. ECR leader Martin Callanan (UK) thanked both these candidates for “turning this into an election and not a coronation”. Schulz, who collected less than the total amount of S&D and EPP votes cast, defended himself arguing he was elected on the basis of a “free” and “secret” vote and “not a deal”.

“NOT AN AMENABLE PRESIDENT”

In any case, the new EP president’s declared aim is to take the Council and European Council head on. Departing from the “quiet” style preferred by Buzek, Schulz wants “to give [the European] Parliament a powerful voice”. To do so and to ensure that the EP is not “reduced to the role of rubberstamping agreements reached between governments in backrooms in Brussels,” he promises that he “will not be an amenable president”. “I will be a president who, if necessary, fights to ensure that the executive shows Parliament the respect it deserves.” Criticising the “growing fixation” with European Council meetings, Schulz’s ultimate goal is, nonetheless, to obtain a seat at the table of EU leaders during their summits. He also wants to make sure the EP is able to negotiate with the Council on an equal footing.

“NOT POSSIBLE TO REMAIN NEUTRAL”

This confrontational and outspoken style got the backing of the leaders of both the Liberals and the Greens. “I believe we need a president that does have an opinion and that is not neutral,” said Guy Verhofstadt (ALDE, Belgium). “It’s not possible to remain neutral when faced with the rise of intergovernmentalism,” he added. Rebecca Harms (Greens-EFA, Germany) encouraged Schulz to keep his “rough” side and make full use of it during exchanges with European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. EPP leader Joseph Daul tasked the new president with one duty: defend the Community method. In this endeavour, Schulz declared himself an “ally” of the Commission.

EU FAILURE

Schulz raised the spectre of a “failure” of the EU as “a realistic possibility,” adding that there was no longer any certainty that the next generation would be better off than the current one. To get out of the crisis, the new president said “the EU is not a zero-sum game: [...] either we all lose – or we all win”.

Role of EP president

The president represents the European Parliament vis-à-vis the outside world, in legal proceedings and in its relations with the other EU institutions. As such, he addresses EU leaders at the beginning of each European Council meeting to present the EP’s view. He is also in charge of chairing debates in plenary, making sure the Rules of Procedure are respected. The signature of the EP president is required to green-light the EU budget and legislative acts adopted in co-decision.