| Author (Person) | Banks, Martin |
|---|---|
| Series Title | European Voice |
| Series Details | Vol.8, No.1, 10.1.02, p1-2 |
| Publication Date | 10/01/2002 |
| Content Type | News |
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Date: 10/01/02 By IRISHMAN Pat Cox is odds-on favourite to become the new president of the European Parliament after the Greens pledged to back him in next Tuesday's Strasbourg election. The support of the 45-strong Greens, along with the backing of Parliament's biggest political group, the European People's Party, makes the Liberal leader a near certainty to succeed French conservative Nicole Fontaine. His main rival, Socialist David Martin, yesterday conceded that it looked like he would lose by a narrow margin after learning that the Greens' votes would go to Cox if, as expected, their candidate, Gerard Onesta, drops out after the first ballot of 626 MEPs. 'It's very close with about 20 votes in it, but if I was a betting man, I'd put my money on Cox,' confessed Martin, a Parliamentary vice-president for 12 years. The Green votes were vital in determining the eventual winner, the Scotsman added. The only question mark remaining is how the other smaller political groups will vote. They were meeting today (10 January) to decide which candidate to support. Some hoped to gain last-minute concessions from Cox and Martin in exchange for votes. Support for the two frontrunners is evenly split between the small groups, who say there is little to separate them. The European United Left group (42 members) is tipped to back Martin while the Union for Europe of the Nations Group (30) and EDD (16) remain undecided. Cox's Liberal party struck a deal with the EPP back in 1999 that ensured Fontaine would get their vote - on the understanding that the EPP would return the favour when her two-and-a-half-year term ended. EPP group leader Hans-Gert Pöttering claimed the agreement sent out a signal that smaller political groups could aspire to Parliament's top job. He said he hoped this would encourage them to support Cox. Fontaine's term in office ends at midnight on Monday and her successor takes over as soon as the result is known. The president is elected by an overall majority in a ballot of all MEPs. If no candidate wins an absolute majority following three ballots, a fourth ballot is conducted with only the two candidates who obtained the largest number of votes in the third round. According to the rules, if the fourth ballot is a draw, the older candidate is declared president. The two other candidates in the election are Francis Wurtz, of the United Left Group and Jens-Peter Bonde, chairman of the Europe of Democracies and Diversities group. Bonde said the election had been the most open ever and called for whoever wins to work for greater transparency in EU institutions. The president chairs some Parliamentary debates and represents the assembly at meetings with the Commission and EU leaders. Following the vote, attention will switch to the elections for committee chairmen and women on 21 and 22 January. The majority are expected to be re-elected for another two-and-a-half-year term. However, speculation surrounds the position of Caroline Jackson, chairman of the influential environment committee, following the recent cooling of links between her British Conservative party and the EPP. Graham Watson, justice and home affairs committee chairman, is expected to step down and replace Cox as Liberal leader if he wins the presidency. Pat Cox is favourite to become the new president of the European Parliament after the Greens pledged to back him in the election on 15 January 2002. |
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| Subject Categories | Politics and International Relations |
