Pöttering succeeds Borrell in Parliament chair

In his presentation to fellow MEPs, Pöttering said: "Europe must be a Europe of the citizens. It is our common task to win people over, by doing convincing work, for our great challenge of uniting our continent while safeguarding the identity of our peoples. We need still better co-operation with national parliaments, and not only on the national level - our regions, cities and communities are Europe's foundation. That is where we need confiding co-operation. We are not adversaries, we work for a common goal: namely the unity of our continent."

ALDE speaker Graham Watson criticised the deal between the Parliament's two biggest groups to share the presidency during the Parliament's sixth term between themselves: "Liberals and Democrats opposed the deal at the beginning of this mandate between Christian Democrats and Socialists as unnatural, but nevertheless I recognise the personal qualities of Hans-Gert Pöttering - of honesty and fairness as well as long experience and competence. I wish him well as president but if Parliament is to rise to the challenges facing European democracy in the 21st century he will have to listen more closely to the growing chorus of voices calling for reform and modernisation. This, the 50th year of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, is an appropriate year to seriously begin this process." 

The Green candidate for president, Monica Frassoni, gave her presentation in six different languages of the EU. She said: "The elected president must also prioritise internal reforms which have been blocked for too long. Our debates must be made more interesting and relevant, and this certainly entails greater flexibility. However, the new president will have to engage with the Council and the Commission to encourage them to improve the quality of their answers during question time and statements: ensuring that responses are not simply diplomatic hot air is also a way to motivate our members to be in this House during the plenary."

In his presentation prior to the election, EUL-NGL candidate Francis Wurtz stressed the poilitical differences between his group and the Conservatives, adding: "Democracy is the acceptance of the choice of the majority. There is no doubt that Mr Pöttering will be the next president of Parliament. He will be president to all of us. Democracy also means respect for others: I want to repeat here that I can only speak of Mr Pöttering's honesty and co-operation in the conference of presidents where we have been sitting together for seven and a half years. However, democracy is primarily the debating of ideas. The vote that will take place in a few minutes will be a clear vote, an honest vote, a vote of conviction."