European Parliament names new chairs of political group

Tuesday 17 January 2012

The election of Martin Schulz (Germany) as the new President of the European Parliament (EP) has changed the composition of the Conference of Presidents, the body that brings together the EP's president and political group leaders. The new heads of the political groups are:

- Lothar Bisky (Germany): GUE/NLG, Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left

- Martin Callanan (UK): ECR, European Conservatives and Reformists Group

- Joseph Daul (France): EPP, Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats)

- Rebecca Harms (Germany) and Daniel Cohn-Bendit (France): Greens/EFA, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance

- Francesco Enrico Speroni (Italy) and Nigel Farage (UK): EFD, Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group

- Hannes Swoboda (Austria), replaces Martin Schulz: S&D, Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats in the European Parliament

- Guy Verhofstadt (Belgium): ALDE, Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.

More information is available at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pressroom/content/20120117IPR35588/html/New-line-up-of-Political-Group-Chairs