Two Romanian MEPs elected as vice presidents of the European Parliament

Romanian MEPs Victor Negrescu (S&D) and Nicolae Ștefănuță (Greens) were elected Vice Presidents of the European Parliament on Tuesday, July 16.

Victor Negrescu received 394 votes, and Nicolae Ștefănuță received 347 votes in the first round of voting.

The European Parliament has 14 positions of vice president in total, and 11 were elected in the first round, according to Digi24.

Other MEPs elected as Vice Presidents in the first round include Sabine Verheyen (604 votes), Ewa Kopacz (572 votes), Esteban Gonzalez Pons (478 votes), Katarina Barley (450 votes), Pina Picierno (405 votes), Martin Hojsik (393 votes), Christel Schaldemose (378 votes), Javi Lopez (377 votes), and Sophie Wilmes (371 votes).

The European Parliament is made up of 720 Members elected in the 27 Member States of the European Union. Romania has 33 MEPs, the sixth largest group.

The second round, in which the remaining three positions will be contested, is scheduled for Wednesday. The candidates are Klara Dostalova, Fabrice Leggeri, Younous Omarjee, Antonella Sberna, Ewa Zajaczkowska-Hernik, and Robert Zile. On the same day, the Quaestors of the European Parliament and the number of members for each of the Parliament’s committees will also be decided.

Also on Tuesday, Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola, a member of the center-right European People's Party, was re-elected as President of the European Parliament for the next two and a half years.

Metsola, who has held this position since the death of David Sassoli in January 2022, received 562 votes out of 623 valid votes cast. Spanish MEP Irene Montero, from the European Left group, also ran for the presidency and received 61 votes.

(Photo source: Nicu Stefanuta & Victor Negrescu on Facebook)