EU Parliament: ‘Organisational apparatus’ voted in. Two Italians among the Vice-Presidents

(Strasbourg) At the first plenary session of the 10th European Parliamentary term in Strasbourg on Tuesday, after having re-elected the outgoing President Roberta Metsola by a very large majority, 720 MEPs elected their 14 Vice-Presidents who, together with the 5 Quaestors to be elected on Wednesday, will form the Parliament's Bureau.

Two Italians elected. Pina Picierno (PD MEP, member of the Socialists & Democrats, S&D group) – who, as outgoing vice-president, chaired the Plenary session in which Metsola was reconfirmed – received 405 preferences (333 were needed) on the first round of voting, thus placing her fifth in the order of precedence. In the second ballot, however, Antonella Sberna (Fratelli d'Italia, in her inaugural experience in the European Parliament, seated among the ranks of the European Conservatives and Reformists – ECR) was elected with 314 votes (305 were required) and ranked thirteenth in order of precedence. The other candidates who were elected in the first ballot were Sabine Verheyen from Germany, representing the European People's Party (EPP). She was the first among those elected, having received 604 preferences. Next in order of precedence were Ewa Kopacz from Poland (EPP) with 572 votes; Esteban González Pons from Spain, also from the EPP, who came in third with 478 votes; and Katarina Barley from Germany, from the S&D group, with 450 votes. As previously stated, Pina Picierno was elected fifth, with 394 votes. Victor Negrescu from Romania, also a member of the S&D group, came in sixth with 393 votes. Martin Hojsik from Slovakia, representing Renew (Liberals), was elected seventh, with one fewer vote (392). Additionally, the S&D group elected two further vice-presidents, separated by a single vote: Christel Schaldemose from Denmark (378) and Javier López from Spain (377). Subsequently, the Belgian candidate, Sophie Wilmès, representing Renew, received 371 votes, while Nicolae Stefanuta, a candidate from Romania representing the Greens, garnered 347 preferences. In the initial ballot, 701 MEPs voted (665 valid ballots), with the option of selecting between eight and 14 names from the 17 candidates on the ballot paper. The initial count, which required a minimum of 333 votes to be elected, resulted in the election of 11 vice-presidents, with an additional three being elected among the remaining six candidates.

The second and final round of voting. In the second round of voting, 674 MEPs participated (they were permitted to indicate up to three candidates on the ballot paper). A total of 609 valid votes were cast, which exceeded the required threshold of 305 for election. The ballot result saw the election of ECR candidate Roberts Zīle from Latvia, who received 490 votes thereby ranking him twelfth in order of precedence; the aforementioned MEP Antonella Sberna; and, ranked fourteenth, Younous Omarjee from France (Left) who received 311 preferences. The two candidates representing the 'Patriots for Europe' and the 'Europe of Sovereign Nations' parties failed to secure the majority of votes necessary for election.

The five Quaestors The five new Quaestors are to be elected on Wednesday, in accordance with the same procedural rules that were adopted for the vice-presidents. The six candidates are Marc Angel (S&D), Fabienne Keller (Renew), Andrey Kovatchev (EPP), Miriam Lexmann (EPP), Pál Szekeres (Patriots for Europe), and Kosma Zlotowski (ECR).

The organisational apparatus. The Vice-Presidents and Quaestors represent the groups and the political balances that were instrumental in determining the election of the President of the European Parliament. As members of the Bureau (which convenes at 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday), they are tasked with assuming roles of responsibility. Indeed, the Bureau sets the rules for Parliament's efficient and smooth running, draws up its preliminary draft budget and decides all administrative, staff and organisational matters. The specific responsibilities of each Vice-President and Quaestor within the Bureau determine the portfolio allocated to them by the President. In the event of the President's absence, the Vice-Presidents assume the role of presiding over debates in the Chamber and represent Parliament at ceremonies or, if necessary, in specific proceedings. In contrast, the Quaestors, who are members of the Bureau in an advisory capacity, are responsible for handling administrative matters that directly concern MEPs.
Enrica Lattanzi