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#Verhofstadt to run for #EuropeanParliament president

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df4ed156348e47a8870b935352d10491_Guy_VerhofstadtFormer Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt (pictured), who leads the Alliance for Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) in Europe, officially declared his candidacy for president of the European Parliament on Friday (6 January), in a race given added significance by the key role the 751-seat assembly could play in Britain’s departure from the EU.

“In these insecure, turbulent times, when Europe is threatened by nationalists and populists of all kinds, we need visionaries, bridge-builders and compromise-seekers alike,” Verhofstadt said in a video on his Facebook page. “I want to be one of them.”

Verhofstadt was appointed the EU's lead Brexit negotiator in September. He said he hoped to build “a broad coalition of all pro-European forces that will put the interests of European citizens first”. MEPs will elect their president on 17 January following the departure of Martin Schulz, who said in November that he was stepping down from the role in order to return to German politics.

The new president will serve until European elections in 2019. The Parliament will play a crucial role in Brexit, since it must ratify any divorce agreement between the remaining 27 EU member states and the UK.

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