EP Presidency: the outsiders

There are many other candidates also in the running for the presidency of the European Parliament.

Smaller groups will have some sway over who will be the next holder of the post.

Belgian MEP Helga Stevens is the name in the frame for the European Conservatives and Reformists.

“The most important issue in my candidacy is being to show the citizens the the European Parliament is transparent, its an open institution and we are here to listen to the citizens of all of Europe.”

And there is one surprise: a British candidate…just as the United Kingdom prepares to quit the European Union.

Green MEP Jean Lambert says the parliament needs to turn away from the establishment candidates and bring in some “fresh faces” to reconnect with the public.

“Can we please get away from this ongoing representation which is: people there are seen increasingly from the Brussels bubble. And can we have some new voices, some fresh faces into the representation of the Parliament towards the public?,” she said in an interview with euronews.

Eleonora Forenza is is the third Italian seeking to replace Germany’s Martin Schulz.

She is representing the far left grouping in the EU’s only directly elected institution.

“The people of Europe want to have more power, want to be able to express themselves and the European Parliament should be their home,” Forenza said.

Laurentiu Rebega of Romania is also in the race. He hails from Marine Le Pen’s far-right Europe of Nations and Freedom group.