EU Parliament: Brussels, Liliana Segre to remember Holocaust. Today vote on Brexit and farewell to UK’s MEPs

(Brussels) The plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels will start today at 15:00 with a ceremony to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. MEPs will observe a minute of silence to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day (75 years). In the presence of Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, world famous cellist and surviving member of the Women’s Orchestra in Auschwitz, Mischa Maisky and Maxim will perform “From Jewish Life: Prayer” by Ernest Bloch, on cello and piano. At around 15:20, Italian Senator for Life and Auschwitz survivor Liliana Segre will address the plenary. Then Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Charles Michel, President of the European Council, will take the floor. Also today, Parliament is due to vote on the Withdrawal Agreement with the United Kingdom. The debate preceding the vote will be attended by the leaders of the political groups; by EU Commission President von der Leyen; by European Council President Michel; and by the EU chief negotiator for Brexit, Michel Barnier. The vote in plenary (at about 18) will mark the end of the ratification process by the European Parliament. Indeed, for the Withdrawal Agreement to enter into force, it must be approved by a simple majority of MEPs. The Council of EU will then need to give its final approval to the Agreement by a qualified majority. After the vote, the UK’s MEPs will be invited to a brief ceremony that will take place in the European Parliament’s Yehudi Menuhin Hall.
Valentina Bombelli