LONDON
A British Conservative member of the European Parliament has thrown his hat into the ring to become the next president of the European Parliament, a job that has assumed greater importance in recent years.
Sajjad Karim has been nominated as the European Parliament presidential candidate by the center-right European Conservatives and Reformist group.
The post was seen in the past as mostly ceremonial but it has grown in importance and stature with the incumbent, Martin Schulz, a German Socialist, asserting the institution's power and representing it at important events such as summits of EU heads of government.
The term lasts five years and the president chairs the plenary sessions, or the monthly meetings of the whole parliament, in Strasbourg.
Schulz, the current president, was a candidate to become president of the European Commission.
The European Conservatives and Reformist group is one of the largest groups in the parliament and includes the British Tory members of parliament.
On Wednesday, Karim wrote to the leaders of all the main groups in the parliament seeking their support.
"With such an increase in the extremists vote it is imperative Europe listens and reacts," he wrote.
"Far too many people were easily persuaded by the anger, poison and divisive politics advocated by extremists. There is a reason for that. EU citizens are angry. They say it's time for change," he said.
So far, Karim is the only member of the European Parliament to declare an interest in the presidency. Other groups are likely to come forward with candidates in the coming days.
Members of the parliament will elect a new president July 1 at their plenary in Strasbourg.
He has also sent letters to Schulz, EU Commissioner Michel Barnier, and German center-right member of parliament Hans-Gert Pottering, a former parliamentary president, asking for their support.
Under the Treaty of Lisbon, which came into force in 2009, the parliament was given new legislative powers, including in the field of budgetary matters. The new powers it now holds, alongside the European Commission and the European Council, have given the parliament increased legitimacy.
This was not lost on members of the parliament, who increasingly in the last legislature were keen to flex their muscles, leading to several instances where the legislative body ran into conflict with the other EU institutions, for example over the EU budget.
www.aa.com.tr/en
