The first European Parliament (EP) plenary meeting – a meeting of all 719 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) – tended to numerous tasks that were needed to kick off the 2024-2029 legislative term. The EP elected the President of the European Commission, it’s own President and Vice Presidents as well as its Quaestors. In addition, the members of the Parliamentary Committees were also confirmed.
Ursula von der Leyen was re-elected as the President of the European Commission, with the backing of a coalition of four parties. With the votes of her own party, the centre right European People’s Party (EPP) (which is also the biggest one in the EP), as well as the Centre-Left Socialists & Democrats (S&D), the liberal Renew and the environmentalist Greens, she secured 401 votes, giving her a comfortable majority. While EPP, S&D and Renew are in steady support of her, it is likely that her commitment to the continuation of the Green Deal also won her the approval of Greens – for the time being. In her published political guidelines, she also appealed to researchers and policymakers focused on science-policy by promising to increase research spending.
The parliament decided that Roberta Metsola – also from EPP – will continue her work as the President of the EP as well for two and a half years, and voted on the 14 Vice-Presidents and 5 Quaestors (who will be responsible for the financial and administrative tasks of the parliament). A number of Vice-Presidents worked science-policy related issues in the past.
In addition to the election of key figures, the composition of parliamentary committees were finalised as well – although their leadership was decided later, at the constitutional meetings of the committees themselves. The two most relevant committees for EuChemS – the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety – were also confirmed to be the largest ones, with 90 members each.
