Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-12-17-Speech-1-017"
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"en.20011217.2.1-017"2
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"Madam President, the majority of my group were involved in securing your election in 1999. I recommended you and also voted personally for you, because I thought it important to break with ten years of cartel agreements between the two largest groups. Previously, the post alternated between the two large groups, and within the large groups it alternated between the largest sub-groups. If there were a qualified candidate from a smaller group – from the independents or from the smaller sub-groups in one of the large groups – the person concerned would have no chance of being elected. It was also an outstanding Vice-President who could conduct the very difficult votes to the satisfaction of all MEPs. In my speech of recommendation, I looked forward to your being a fair representative of us all and, with the open election campaign we now have between Mr Cox and Mr Martin and the three other candidates, the break with the cartels of the past has been confirmed.
The break with the major coalition has also made for a very good atmosphere in the Conference of Presidents. Now, all the chairpersons have the same opportunity to present their arguments. Agreement and disagreement cross political divides. No one knows the outcome of meetings before they have been held. In the past, your predecessors could look at Mrs Martens from the Group of the European People’s Party and Mrs Green from the Group of the Party of European Socialists and, if these people looked down, the proposal was abandoned and, if they looked up, it was adopted. The cartel was so far-reaching that, on one particular occasion, it led to the appointment of an official to Parliament in opposition to the consensus reached by the group chairpersons. The person concerned was only elected because it was a particular sub-group’s turn to be given a titbit in terms of the administration of Parliament. This happened even though Mrs Green was on that occasion opposed to the election of this person and then had nonetheless to vote in favour of it. I should like to thank you for your cooperation in the far more open period that has just gone by. It is by setting good examples that we can help ensure a Parliament in which the best candidate for each post always has at least a fair chance of being elected or appointed.
May I also thank you personally, Madam President, for your resolute efforts on behalf of human rights on every occasion on which these have been an issue. Thank you, and good luck in your next job."@en1
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