New European Parliament to Hold Opening Session

MEPs are to convene Tuesday for the first session of the new European Parliament in Strasbourg.

They will have to decide on the Parliament's leadership and also to set up different Committees, with the latter activity to continue at the next sitting on Wednesday.

A candidate to become Parliament President, which will be the first office to be voted, will have to gather an  absolute majority (50% + 1) to be appointed.

Fourteen Vice Presidents and five quaestors (who are in charge of MEPs' financial and administrative interests) are also due to be chosen.

Martin Schulz, who was the former EP President but also S&D's candidate to become EU Commission President, is currently supported by the European People's Party (EPP), liberal ALDE and his own group, according to EUObserver.

Schulz was reportedly absent from debates on the office held in Parliament.

Green MEP Ulrike Lunacek, ECR's Sajjad Karim and Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias are the other candidates.

A few other issues will also be on EP's agenda on Tuesday, with a vote whether to boost sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis also on schedule.

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