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".

UKIP Leader Nigel Farage said today: "David Cameron has refused to get into the ring. Even before the bells rings he has scarpered. This is absolutely pathetic.

Zeynep Dereli is director of the Atlantic Council's Black Sea Energy and Economic Forum and Senior Research Associate at the Foreign Policy Centre. She was invited on Wednesday by the Turkey Assessment Group chaired by MEP Morten Messerschmidt. Strongly involved in favour of equality between women and men in Turkey, Zeynep Dereli bravely exposed her views on the ways to make her country improving in this matter.

Before the European Council postponed on the 23 October, President of the European Commission attended the Parliamentary session in Brussels on October 12. He called for an urgent recapitalisation of European banks, warning that those refusing to comply could lose bonuses and dividends.