Fracties in Europees Parlement overleggen over nieuwe voorzitter (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The presidency of the European Parliament is set to be divided between the two biggest groups in the Brussels assembly, following a second meeting between the two sides on Wednesday (23 June).

Leaders from the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) and the Socialists (PES) meeting in Brussels have come one step closer to securing a mutually beneficial arrangement for Pat Cox's job.

Under the agreement, which is not yet finalised, the socialists would lead the parliament for the first half of the five-year term and the EPP for the second half.

It is during this second half that the European Constitution, which almost doubles the areas where Parliament can co-legislate with member states, is due to come into force.

However, for the socialists this will mean a return to their traditional presidential power after a conservative (Nicole Fontaine) and then a liberal (Pat Cox) ran the assembly for the past five years.

The UK and French MEPs, Terry Wynn and Michel Rocard, are the likeliest candidates for the socialists, while German MEP Hans-Gert Poettering, currently the leader of the EPP, is set to sit at the Parliament's helm for the centre-right.

The two groups are also set to reach an agreement on trying to reform the MEPs' pay system -which allows deputies to easily pocket extra money claimed on expenses.

Others out

If the presidency arrangement goes ahead, it will put paid to any chances that other candidates may have had. One of the names that had been put forward was former Polish foreign minister Bronislaw Geremek.

Personally nominated by French deputy François Bayrou, the head the of the UDF group, Mr Geremek was also supported by the Greens.

However, one Parliament source said it was unlikely the Pole would ever have mustered the necessary support - because he is too 'new'.

It would be a similar situation to when the former Portuguese President, Mario Soares, who was a newly elected MEP, lost out to conservative candidate, and more experienced MEP, Nicole Fontaine for the top parliament job in 1999.

Two German leaders

Another outcome for the two groups is that both are likely to be headed by Germans.

Mr Poettering is set to keep the leadership until he takes over as president of the parliament while social democrat MEP Martin Schulz, who shot to fame after he was insulted by Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi last year, is set to take over from the Spaniard, Enrique Baron Crespo.