On 10 September 1952, Paul-Henri Spaak presided over the opening of the first ever session of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community in Strasbourg. It was the starting point of today’s European Parliament.

In 70 years, the Assembly has grown in strength. Born as a consultative body with limited powers, it has become a true institution embracing European democracy and the expression of European public opinion. It changed name and became the European Parliament in 1962, a further step towards becoming the only directly elected, multilingual, multi-party transnational parliament in the world.

EP President Roberta Metsola opened the ceremony of the 70 year of the EP, that took place in Strasbourg, followed by speeches by the Prime Ministers of Parliament’s three host countries - French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne, Alexander de Croo of Belgium, and Luxembourg’s Xavier Bettel.

Slideshow: European Parliament - 70 years of European democracy in action

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70th anniversary of the European Parliament