Schulz elected new president of European Parliament
The influential German MEP Martin Schulz has been elected the new president of the European Parliament.
Up until his election today, Mr Schulz had been leader of the Parliament’s Socialists and Democrats bloc.
A former book trader, Mr Schulz is known for his strong personality.
During his acceptance speech today, he vowed to raise the profile of the Parliament as a forum for democracy and debate on the future of the European Union.
He shot to prominence in 2003 after former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Mr Schulz would be perfect in the film role of a prisoner who worked for the Nazis in the concentration camps.
