The European People's Party
(EPP) and ALDE groups in the European Parliament have reached a
cooperation agreement that effectively puts Italian Antonio
Tajani of the EPP on track to become the next president of the
EP.
ALDE's liberal candidate Guy Verhofstadt has withdrawn his
bid to be EP president.
Italian Gianni Pittella, the Socialists and Democrats (S&D)
group's candidate, said Tuesday that time of agreements between
the biggest groups was over.
"There won't be a grand coalition any more, a privileged
agreement between the big groups, because there's a need for
clarity - a clear, civil vision that is different from
instability and paralysis," he said in speech before MEPs
started voting to elect the successor to Martin Schulz.
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