The Latest: EU nomination creates domestic strife for Merkel
BRUSSELS (AP) - The Latest on key appointments at the European Union (all times local):
3:45 p.m.
The nomination of German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen to lead the European Union's executive Commission has created new strife in Chancellor Angela Merkel's governing coalition at home.
Von der Leyen, a member of Merkel's center-right party, emerged Tuesday as the surprise candidate for one of the main jobs at the EU. She is opposed by Merkel's center-left coalition partners, the Social Democrats, on the grounds that she wasn't one of the "lead candidates" who ran in the European Parliament elections in May.
The party's current leadership didn't say what consequences the nomination might have but a former leader, Sigmar Gabriel, argued it could be grounds to leave the cantankerous coalition.
The general secretary of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union, Paul Ziemiak, has criticized the Social Democrats' stance, saying it wasn't good for the coalition's image that Merkel was the only EU leader who had to abstain in the vote on a German candidate. He noted that Merkel had previously tried unsuccessfully to get center-left candidate Frans Timmermans nominated.
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1:15 p.m.
David-Maria Sassoli, an Italian member of the Socialists & Democrats bloc, has been elected as the next president of the European parliament after two rounds of voting in the Strasbourg-based legislature.
In the second round Sassoli received 345 votes, well over the absolute majority required from the 667 eligible votes.
Conservative Jan Zahradil from the Czech Republic got 160 votes, while the German Greens leader Ska Keller received 119 and the Spanish left-wing candidateˆ Sira Rego trailed with 43.ˆ
Appointing a new parliamentary president completes the bloc's drawn-out appointment process for its top jobs.ˆ
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11:30 a.m.
David-Maria Sassoli, an Italian member of the Socialists & Democrats bloc at the European Parliament, fell just short of an absolute majority in the first round of voting to become the next president of the legislature.ˆ
In a vote among legislators, Sassoli received 325 votes, 7 shy of an absolute majority. Conservative Jan Zahradil of the Czech Republic got 162 votes, while German Greens leader Ska Keller received 133 and the Spanish left-wing candidateˆ Sira Rego won the support of just 42.ˆ
All four will contest a second round later Wednesday, and Sassoli remains a hot favorite to win.ˆ
Appointing a new parliamentary president willˆ complete the bloc's drawn-out appointment process for its top jobs.ˆ
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9:35 a.m.
European Union legislators are gearing up to elect their parliamentary leader - a decision that will complete the bloc's drawn-out appointment process for its top jobs.
Legislators were preparing for a session that could last until late Wednesday, with the Socialists & Democrats candidate David-Maria Sassoli of Italy favorite to lead the Strasbourg-based European Parliament for the next 2-1/2 years. His main challenger is expected to be Germany's Ska Keller, leader of the Greens.
On Tuesday, EU leaders nominated Germany's Ursula von der Leyen to become president of the executive Commission. Belgium's Charles Michel was appointed to lead the European Council, which brings together the member states. And Frenchwoman Christine Lagarde was tapped to be president of the European Central Bank and Spain's Josep Borrell the bloc's foreign policy chief.