Swoboda Elected to Replace Schulz as S&D Leader

Austrian Socialdemocrat Hannes Swoboda reacts in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, 17 January 2012. He was elected to the leader of the Social Democrats in the European Parliament. EPA/BGNES

Austrian MEP Hannes Swoboda was elected leader of the Socialists and Democrats group in the European Parliament after the group's former leader Martin Schulz took over as EP President.

Swoboda received 102 votes, beating Catherine Trautmann, a French MEP, who received 45 votes. Stephen Hughes, a UK MEP, came third with 37 votes, European Voice has informed.

Upon getting elected, Swoboda vowed that the Socialists and Democrats will do everything possible to fight with the neo-liberal approach that is currently dominating the EU debate.

The new S&D leader will serve until June 2014 when the Parliament's mandate ends.

Earlier on Tuesday, Martin Schultz was elected EP President with 387 votes out of 670 cast thanks to the support of the European People's Party (EPP).

He won against two competitors, Diana Wallis, a liberal but running as an independent, and Nirj Deva, from the center-right European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group.

Schulz will replace European People's Party's Jerzy Buzek, who has steered the European Parliament since mid-2009.

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