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Tajani alliance declared on European Parliament election day

Posted January 17, 2017 6:00 am

The Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) - Two political groupings in the European Parliament have formed an alliance to back Antonio Tajani to become the body's next president.

The EPP Christian Democrat group and the ALDE liberals announced the agreement Tuesday. Tajani is the EEP candidate.

The EPP is the biggest group in the legislature while ALDE is the fourth-biggest. To make the coalition work, ALDE leader Guy Verhofstadt has withdrawn from Tuesday's election among the 751 legislators.

It makes the poll ever more a two-man race between Tajani and the S&D socialist Gianni Pittella.

The vote at the legislature could last all day and be spread over four rounds. The winner will head the parliament for the next two and a half years.

The election came after the withdrawal as president of S&D leader Martin Schulz.

Outgoing European Parliament president Martin Schulz, of Germany, looks up before the vote for the presidency of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017. The European Parliament picks a success to its outgoing socialist President Martin Schulz. Unlike previous occasions the race is still open as the legislature meets. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias) The Associated Press

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