EU Parliament centrist leaders face re-election in Strasbourg amid coalition tensions

The leaders of the three political groups that form the centrist majority in the European Parliament are set for re-election on October 20. Euronews reported that Manfred Weber, Iratxe García Pérez, and Valérie Hayer are expected to be re-elected unopposed during internal group votes in Strasbourg. [1]

German politician Manfred Weber has led the center-right European People's Party since 2014 and is expected to win another term. García Pérez leads the Socialists and Democrats, while Hayer heads the liberal Renew Europe group. Euronews reported that all three figures face little prospect of surprises, even as growing tensions threaten the alliance that supports European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. [1]

The European Parliament is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union and adopts legislation alongside the Council of the European Union. Following the elections in June 2024, the assembly expanded to 720 members, up from 705 members previously, representing roughly 375 million eligible voters. [2]