Poettering elected European Parliament president

German MEP Hans-Gert Poettering, who until last week was the leader of the European People's Party, was yesterday elected president of the European Parliament for the next two and a half years.

He obtained 450 votes or 65 per cent of all the votes cast.

Mr Poettering was supported by the two largest political groups in the European Parliament, the European People's Party and the Socialists.

Addressing a press conference soon after his election, he adopted a conciliatory tone and promised to be the president of all MEPs.

"The dignity of man, respect of law, and solidarity of the European peoples will be the principles of my engagement.

Only if we work together will our peoples have the possibility to defend its values and interests in the world. Whatever our political views, whatever our political ideals, our common will is to build an ever closer European Union."

Mr Poettering has been in the European Parliament since the first direct elections held in 1979 when he was elected as an MEP to represent the German regions of Osnabrueck, Emsland and Ostfriesland. The new president will replace Spaniard Josep Borell, a Socialist MEP elected in 2004.