Le nouveau Parlement a élu un Polonais à sa tête, ouvrant ainsi un nouveau chapitre de l'histoire européenne. Doyenne du PE, Astrid Lulling est bien placée pour analyser les événements qui ont marqué la première session parlementaire.

La rétro de la semaine : pour le nouveau Parlement, c'est un grand pas dans l'histoire

for the last edition of Weekly Review   before the summer break.

With me to look over the European news   I have Astrid Lulling. Hello.

You are an MEP from Luxembourg, a   member of the European People's Party.

You are, and I mean no disrespect,   the doyenne of the Parliament.

and you remember the forerunner   of the current Parliament,

before MEPs were directly elected.   That was 30 years ago.

What is your view   of this new Parliament?

It won't be easy, because first of all   there are 48% of MEPs who are new,

If they have never sat in a national   parliament or even in local government,

that does happen,   it can sometimes be a bit difficult

to make them understand   that we produce European legislation.

there are some who confuse   the European Parliament

with Hyde Park Corner,   where you get up on your soapbox

Unfortunately, we have   some of these populists here

and it will no doubt be very difficult   to make everyone understand

that we are here because we are   co-legislators with the Council

in order to produce sound and applicable   European legislation.

We'll go straight into the latest events

with the election of the new President   of the European Parliament.

Last session in the speaker's chair   for Hans-Gert Pöttering,

the outgoing President of the Parliament.

Two candidates were standing   to succeed him on 14 July:

Jerzy Buzek, from Poland,   for the European People's Party,

and Eva-Britt Svensson, from Sweden,   for the European United Left.

The ballot, as expected, drew   a large crowd into the Hemicycle

for the first session back in Parliament   for MEPs.

Supported by the Liberal Democrats   and some Social Democrats,

the former Prime Minister   of Poland, Jerzy Buzek,

was elected as the 13th President   of the European Parliament.

Astrid Lulling, Jerzy Buzek   was elected with 555 votes,

because, for me, this election,   this splendid election of Mr Buzek

is notable also   for its symbolic importance,

with his personality   and his strength of will.

as he showed in Poland with Solidarność.

I think that he will also show,   as President of the European Parliament,

I would advise my friend Buzek,   if I can call him that,

not to let himself get tied up   in administration

Our institution must also reassess itself.

We have a lot of work to do to renew   our dialogue with citizens above all,

because the massive levels of abstention   in some countries...

There are some countries   where not even 20% of citizens voted.

With all that   we have a lot on our plate.

Europeans still sometimes   have difficulty understanding...

where two large political families   join battle during the elections,

they make technical agreements   between themselves

to share the Presidency of the   Parliament and the Vice-Presidencies.

Europeans have difficulty   understanding these agreements,

especially since they cloud   the political issues. What do you think?

There is no political group,   not even mine, which is the biggest,

Fortunately there are still at least   three serious political groups,

the EPP, the Socialists   who are now called something else...

As if Socialists weren't Democrats,   that's funny!

And the Group of the Liberals,   which are indeed pro-European groups.

a lot of Eurosceptics   on the Right and on the left.

Are you saying   that it's the only possible solution?

It's the only solution   for the advancement of Europe.

Between two or three of us,   we have to reach agreement.

Unfortunately, the EPP and the Liberals   don't have a majority,

it's only the EPP and the Socialists   who have a solid majority.

Obviously, with the Liberals as well   it's even more solid.

Perhaps we could also find a majority   between the EPP, the Liberals

and the new Conservatives,   the new Conservative group,

which unfortunately has a lot   of Eurosceptics among its members,

That's why we reached this technical   agreement. We had to find a majority.

Where's the line between technical   and political agreement?

The technical agreement   is to make sure we elect someone,

like the President,   that's a very good thing.

I think it also depends on   the different legislative proposals

where we have to reach agreement.   You have to find a consensus.

For example, I'm now rapporteur,   for the second reading,

on a proposal for the reform   of a very important directive for women,

on the equality of treatment   for self-employed people

and spouses assisting   in small businesses, farms, shops, etc.

It's very important and I have to find,   I did find, a majority for the first reading,

and now we'll have to see...   -Time will tell.

... what the Council   and the Commission say.

But there again I have to find   369 colleagues