President of The European Parliament
Following the 2009 European elections Schulz came to public attention when he insisted that his group should not immediately approve a second term of office for European Commission President Barroso and instead, together with the Chair of the Green Group in the European Parliament, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, proposed the Belgian Liberal Guy Verhofstadt as a candidate for that office. Following reassurances by Barroso, Schulz dropped his categorical opposition to him, insisting only that he should make certain political concessions to the Social Democrats. As a result, the majority of the group abstained on the confidence vote to Barroso.
An informal agreement was reached between the Conservative PPE Group and the PSE Group that in 2012 Schulz should succeed the Polish PPE Member Jerzy Buzek as President of the European Parliament. In early June 2011 Schulz then formally announced his candidacy for that office.
On 17 January 2012, Martin Schulz was elected President of the European Parliament, with 387 votes in favour out of 670 cast. On 15 September 2011 Members of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament had unanimously nominated Schulz as their candidate for President of the European Parliament. Other candidates were Nirj Deva (142 votes) and Diana Wallis (141 votes).
Read more about this topic: Martin Schulz
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