News
BackJust in time for the mid-term arrival of the legislative period in the European Parliament, there are a number of new appointments to be made in the Parliamentary committees. Apart from the election of Martin Schulz (Socialists & Democrats) as new President of the European Parliament, there are also significant changes from an Austrian point of view.
Hannes Swoboda was elected new leader of the European Socialists & Democrats (S&D) in the European Parliament (EP). This makes him the first Austrian to lead a European fraction in the EP. All leaders of the other parliamentary fractions retained their position.
Othmar Karas (European People’s Party) is the first Austrian among the 14 Vice Presidents of the European Parliament. He was elected by 244 of 655 valid votes and is according to protocol the highest ranking representative of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), even above the Austrian Vice Chancellor and head of ÖVP Michael Spindelegger.
Next week’s election of the chairman in most of the 20 Parliamentary committees was to be another important decision. However, there will be no Austrian MEPs among them; as a result, the former MEP Herbert Bösch (S&D) will be the only Austrian who has ever been the chairman of a committee in the European Parliament. However, with Evelyn Regner (S&D) in the Committee on Legal Affairs and Paul Rübig (EPP) as a member of the Maghreb Countries Delegation, there are two Austrians among the Deputy Leaders.
Individual MEPs will also see changes in respect of their membership in the various Parliamentary committees. However, who of the mandataries will change to another committee will only be known next week at the earliest.
Othmar Karas (European People’s Party) is the first Austrian among the 14 Vice Presidents of the European Parliament. He was elected by 244 of 655 valid votes and is according to protocol the highest ranking representative of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), even above the Austrian Vice Chancellor and head of ÖVP Michael Spindelegger.
Next week’s election of the chairman in most of the 20 Parliamentary committees was to be another important decision. However, there will be no Austrian MEPs among them; as a result, the former MEP Herbert Bösch (S&D) will be the only Austrian who has ever been the chairman of a committee in the European Parliament. However, with Evelyn Regner (S&D) in the Committee on Legal Affairs and Paul Rübig (EPP) as a member of the Maghreb Countries Delegation, there are two Austrians among the Deputy Leaders.
Individual MEPs will also see changes in respect of their membership in the various Parliamentary committees. However, who of the mandataries will change to another committee will only be known next week at the earliest.