Nigel Farage : "I will do my very best to provide an opposition to your presidency"

It has been an unsurprising victory for Martin Schultz, whose group ("Socialists and Democrats") had previously cut a deal with the European right-wing, the EPP Group lead by Joseph Daul (UMP). He however received only 387 votes out of 670 cast. Reacting to this election, UKIP leader and co-President of the EFD Group Nigel Farage has been vehement : "It is pretty clear we are going to have two and half years of political fanaticism from the chair".

As the European leader of EU-criticism, Farage reminded "I may represent the smallest group in this parliament (...) but I can tell you it is a group who ideas and views are now being echoed by a growing number of citizens right around this continent (...) What we represent Sir is not anti-Europeanism - that is not what it is about. We believe in nation state democracy, we want a Europe of trade, we want a Europe of co-operation, we want a Europe that is responsible" he added. "I will do my very best to provide an opposition to your presidency over the course of two-and-a-half-years. I hope you will give us a fair hearing" he concluded.