On July 25, 1989, Enrique BARON CRESPO is elected as EP President. Shots of the vote, announcement of the results and congratulations. Extracts from the speech by Enrique BARON CRESPO, new EP President.

Strasbourg

plenary session

BARÓN CRESPO, Enrique (PSE, ES)

election of the President of the European Parliament (T)

Election of Enrique BARON CRESPO as EP President (25/07/1989)

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/16542618/ebs96454Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

Vote, announcement of the results, congratulations (13 shots)

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Enrique BARON CRESPO, EP President, "Ladies and gentlemen, almost 200 years ago in this beautiful city, one of its citizens Rouget de Lisle wrote an anthem to liberty, 'The Marseillaise'. A week ago a black American soprano, Jessie Norman, sang this anthem which I believe epitomizes our goal of a united, democratic, tolerant Europe open to the world. Let me thank you for the clear majority with which you have done me the honour of electing me President of this Assembly. But first of all allow me to thank my wife, present here today, for the understanding and patience - shown by all our wives and families - which will allow me to dedicate myself body and soul to this difficult and absorbing task." (Applause)

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Enrique BARON CRESPO, EP President, "I should like to thank those who voted for me but also those who did not. And similarly all those who competed in this election. Polemics are the essence of democracy. I hope I can prove worthy of my distinguished predecessors during this session of the European Parliament which began under the firm and assured leadership of a woman who exemplifies dedication to Europe and reconciliation, Simone Veil; (Applause) continuing with the firm leadership and tenacity of my socialist colleague Piet Dankert; (Applause) then the dignity and hospitality of the young veteran in the battle for the European ideal, Pierre Pflimlin, (Applause) and the perfect gentleman Lord Plumb with whom I share the day and month of birth, although not the year, and his passion for Europe. (Applause) Each of us in turn - the 'gentlemen in blue' and the 'red baron' have won the race for the presidency."

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Enrique BARON CRESPO, EP President, "For me, as for those of us who needed a great deal of time to gain access to the Community, a great deal of time to enter this environment, the European Community is synonymous with democracy. For many years I have been a citizen of Europe, a European in Spain and the most evident demonstration of the equality and openness which revails in our Community is the fact that you have paid me the undeserved compliment of making me your President."

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Enrique BARON CRESPO, EP President, "The revolutionary elan of democratic principles does not however stop at out borders. If we look towards the East to the Europe with which we share the sun and sky even if we are separated by a wall, we see that whenever these people assert themselves and try to make progress the first thing they do is to hold elections to secure a pluralistic representative parliament. Parliamentary democracy is our common aim. Despite all the limitations it is what is happening in Poland, Hungary and the Soviet Union. And it is what the Chinese students massacred on Tiananmen Square were demanding." (Applause)

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Enrique BARON CRESPO, EP President, "In the Middle East, it represents the way for Arabs and Jews to be able to live together. Overseas it is the path which has been followed by Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay and I hope that progress will also be made in Nicaragua, Cuba and at the other extreme Chile and South Africa because it is surely the only way to overcome apartheid. One last thought. We have been celebrating in the positive atmosphere of trying to live up to it, the proclamation of humans and citizens' rights."

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Enrique BARON CRESPO, EP President, "Now that these principles are gaining more and more ground day by day, Europeans must not seek to isolate hemselves. A unified democratic Europe must be a Europe open to the world." (Applause)