There are fourteen Vice Presidents of the European Parliament who sit in for the President

President of the European Parliament

The President of the European Parliament presides over the debates and activities of the European Parliament. He or she also represents the Parliament within the EU and internationally. The President's signature is required for enacting most EU laws and the EU budget.Presidents serve...

 in presiding over the plenary of the European Parliament

European Parliament

The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...

.

Role

Vice Presidents are members of the Bureau

Bureau (European Parliament)

The Bureau of the European Parliament is responsible for matters relating to the budget, administration, organisation and staff. It is composed of the President of the European Parliament along with all 14 Vice-Presidents and the five Quaestors . They are elected for two and a half years with the...

 and chair the plenary when the President is not in the chair. The President may also delegate any duty, task or power to one of the Vice-Presidents. Three vice presidents, designated by the Conference of Presidents, traditionally have more power than the others; the right to be on the conciliation committee.

Election

The Vice Presidents are elected following the voting for the President, which takes place every two and a half years.

There tends to be an agreement dividing up the 14 posts between the groups, and thus they are usually elected without formal opposition. However, in 2009 Edward McMillan-Scott

Edward McMillan-Scott

Edward Hugh Christian McMillan-Scott is a British Member of the European Parliament and one of the Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament...

, through the individual support of 40 MEPs, successfully challenged his party's (the European Conservatives and Reformists

European Conservatives and Reformists

The European Conservatives and Reformists, abbreviated to ECR, is a conservative anti-federalist political group in the European Parliament. The group currently comprises 57 MEPs, making it the fourth-largest group in the European Parliament....

) formal candidate; Michał Kamiński. Having been elected and prevented the election of Kaminski, McMillan-Scott was expelled from his party and Kaminski gained the party chair.

6th parliament

30 July 2004 to 16 January 2007
Elected (unopposed) in order of precedence;

	Members	Group	State
1	Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca is a Spanish Member of the European Parliament, and a radiation physicist. He was elected on the People's Party ticket and sits with the European People's Party group....	EPP-ED	Spain Spain
2	Antonios Trakatellis Antonios Trakatellis Antonios Trakatellis is a Greek Member of the European Parliament, and an academic biochemist. He was elected on the New Democracy ticket and sits with the European People's Party group...	EPP-ED	Greece Greece
3	Dagmar Roth-Behrendt Dagmar Roth-Behrendt Dagmar Roth-Behrendt is a German Member of the European Parliament, and a lawyer. She was elected on the SPD ticket and sits with the Party of European Socialists group....	PES Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the social-democratic political group in the European Parliament, formed by MEPs of the Party of European Socialists and allied centre-left parties. The group dates its ancestry via various names back to the beginning of the European...	Germany Germany
4	Edward McMillan-Scott Edward McMillan-Scott Edward Hugh Christian McMillan-Scott is a British Member of the European Parliament and one of the Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament...	EPP-ED	United Kingdom United Kingdom
5	Ingo Friedrich Ingo Friedrich Ingo Friedrich was a German Member of the European Parliament. He was elected on the CSU ticket and sits with the EPP-ED Group.Herr Friedrich holds a University degree in Economics...	EPP-ED	Germany Germany
6	Mario Mauro Mario Mauro Mario Mauro is an Italian Member of the European Parliament and a teacher of history. He was first elected on the Forza Italia ticket, and in 2009 on the merged party The People of Freedom ticket...	EPP-ED	Italy Italy
7	António Costa António Costa António Luís dos Santos da Costa, GCIH is a Portuguese lawyer and politician, former Minister and current Mayor of Lisbon.-Political career:...	PES Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the social-democratic political group in the European Parliament, formed by MEPs of the Party of European Socialists and allied centre-left parties. The group dates its ancestry via various names back to the beginning of the European...	Portugal Portugal
8	Luigi Cocilovo Luigi Cocilovo Luigi Cocilovo is an Italian Member of the European Parliament and a University researcher in Law. He was elected on the Olive Tree ticket and sits with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group....	ALDE Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe is a transnational alliance between two European political parties: the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party and the European Democratic Party. It has political groups in the European Parliament, the EU Committee of the Regions, the...	Italy Italy
9	Jacek Saryusz-Wolski Jacek Saryusz-Wolski Jacek Emil Saryusz-Wolski is a Polish diplomat, politician and a MEP: member of the European Parliament...	EPP-ED	Poland Poland
10	Pierre Moscovici Pierre Moscovici Pierre Moscovici is a French politician, a member of the Departmental Council of Doubs and a Member of the French Parliament. He is a member of the French Socialist Party ; part of the Party of European Socialists...	PES Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the social-democratic political group in the European Parliament, formed by MEPs of the Party of European Socialists and allied centre-left parties. The group dates its ancestry via various names back to the beginning of the European...	France France
11	Miroslav Ouzký Miroslav Ouzký Miroslav Ouzký is a Czech Member of the European Parliament. He was elected on the Civic Democratic Party ticket and sits with the European Conservatives and Reformists group.-Biography:...	EPP-ED	Czech Republic Czech Republic
12	Janusz Onyszkiewicz Janusz Onyszkiewicz Janusz Adam Onyszkiewicz is a Polish mathematician, alpinist, politician and was a vice-president of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee from January 2007 until mid-2009.-Biographical note:...	ALDE Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe is a transnational alliance between two European political parties: the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party and the European Democratic Party. It has political groups in the European Parliament, the EU Committee of the Regions, the...	Poland Poland
13	Gérard Onesta Gérard Onesta Gérard Onesta is a French politician and Member of the European Parliament for the South West of France.He is a member of the French Green Party, part of the European Greens. On 20 July 2004 he was re-elected a Member of the European Parliament, and he was elected four times one of its...	Greens/EFA	France France
14	Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann Dr. Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann was a German Member of the European Parliament. She was elected on the PDS ticket and sat with the European United Left - Nordic Green Left group.Dr. Kaufmann is a qualified Japanologist...	EUL/NGL European United Left–Nordic Green Left European United Left/Nordic Green Left is a left-wing political group with seats in the European Parliament since 1995.-Position:According to its 1994 constituent declaration, the group is opposed to the present European political structure, but committed to integration...	Germany Germany

16 January 2007 to 14 July 2009
Elected (unopposed) in order of precedence;

	Members	Group	State	Votes
1	Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou is a Greek politician, Member of the New Democracy party. She was born and brought up at the island of Zakynthos, Greece. She studied Sociology at the University of Geneva...	EPP-ED	Greece Greece	322
2	Alejo Vidal-Quadras	EPP-ED	Spain Spain	300
3	Gérard Onesta Gérard Onesta Gérard Onesta is a French politician and Member of the European Parliament for the South West of France.He is a member of the French Green Party, part of the European Greens. On 20 July 2004 he was re-elected a Member of the European Parliament, and he was elected four times one of its...	Greens/EFA	France France	285
4	Edward McMillan-Scott Edward McMillan-Scott Edward Hugh Christian McMillan-Scott is a British Member of the European Parliament and one of the Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament...	EPP-ED	United Kingdom United Kingdom	274
5	Mario Mauro Mario Mauro Mario Mauro is an Italian Member of the European Parliament and a teacher of history. He was first elected on the Forza Italia ticket, and in 2009 on the merged party The People of Freedom ticket...	EPP-ED	Italy Italy	262
6	Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez is a Spanish politician and Member of the European Parliament for the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, part of the Party of European Socialists...	PES Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the social-democratic political group in the European Parliament, formed by MEPs of the Party of European Socialists and allied centre-left parties. The group dates its ancestry via various names back to the beginning of the European...	Spain Spain	260
7	Luigi Cocilovo Luigi Cocilovo Luigi Cocilovo is an Italian Member of the European Parliament and a University researcher in Law. He was elected on the Olive Tree ticket and sits with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group....	ALDE Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe is a transnational alliance between two European political parties: the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party and the European Democratic Party. It has political groups in the European Parliament, the EU Committee of the Regions, the...	Italy Italy	234
8	Mechtild Rothe Mechtild Rothe Mechtild Rothe is a German politician andMember of the European Parliament with the Social Democratic Party of Germany,part of the Socialist Group and sits on...	PES Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the social-democratic political group in the European Parliament, formed by MEPs of the Party of European Socialists and allied centre-left parties. The group dates its ancestry via various names back to the beginning of the European...	Germany Germany	217
9	Luisa Morgantini Luisa Morgantini Luisa Morgantini is an Italian Member of the European Parliament. She was elected as independent with the Communist Refoundation Party ticket and sits with the European United Left - Nordic Green Left group....	GUE/NGL European United Left–Nordic Green Left European United Left/Nordic Green Left is a left-wing political group with seats in the European Parliament since 1995.-Position:According to its 1994 constituent declaration, the group is opposed to the present European political structure, but committed to integration...	Italy Italy	207
10	Pierre Moscovici Pierre Moscovici Pierre Moscovici is a French politician, a member of the Departmental Council of Doubs and a Member of the French Parliament. He is a member of the French Socialist Party ; part of the Party of European Socialists...	PES Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the social-democratic political group in the European Parliament, formed by MEPs of the Party of European Socialists and allied centre-left parties. The group dates its ancestry via various names back to the beginning of the European...	France France	207
11	Manuel António Dos Santos Manuel António dos Santos Manuel António dos Santos is a Portuguese politician and Member of the European Parliament for the Socialist Party; part of the Party of European Socialists.-References:...	PES Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the social-democratic political group in the European Parliament, formed by MEPs of the Party of European Socialists and allied centre-left parties. The group dates its ancestry via various names back to the beginning of the European...	Portugal Portugal	193
12	Diana Wallis Diana Wallis Diana Paulette Wallis is a British Liberal Democrat politician who is a Member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire and the Humber. Wallis was first elected in 1999 and re-elected in 2004 and in 2009....	ALDE Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe is a transnational alliance between two European political parties: the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party and the European Democratic Party. It has political groups in the European Parliament, the EU Committee of the Regions, the...	United Kingdom United Kingdom	192
13	Marek Siwiec Marek Siwiec Marek Maciej Siwiec is a Polish politician and since 2004 Member of the European Parliament for the Greater Poland Voivodship with the Democratic Left Alliance-Labor Union, part of the Socialist Group and sits on the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs. In the European elections of...	PES Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the social-democratic political group in the European Parliament, formed by MEPs of the Party of European Socialists and allied centre-left parties. The group dates its ancestry via various names back to the beginning of the European...	Poland Poland	180
14	Adam Bielan Adam Bielan Adam Jerzy Bielan is a Polish politician and Member of the European Parliament for Lesser Poland and Świętokrzyskie with Poland Comes First. He is Vice-Chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists political grouping....	UEN Union for Europe of the Nations Union for Europe of the Nations was a political group of the European Parliament between 1999 and 2009.-History:UEN was formed on 20 July 1999, supplanting the earlier Union for Europe. Its member parties Fianna Fáil and National Alliance were the driving forces behind the group, despite their...	Poland Poland	128

7th parliament

14 July 2009 to present
Elected in order of precedence;

	Members	Group	State	Votes
1	Giovanni Pittella Giovanni Pittella Giovanni Pittella is an Italian politician and Member of the European Parliament for Southern and Vice President of the European Parliament for the seventh parliament...	S&D Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the social-democratic political group in the European Parliament, formed by MEPs of the Party of European Socialists and allied centre-left parties. The group dates its ancestry via various names back to the beginning of the European...	Italy Italy	360
2	Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou is a Greek politician, Member of the New Democracy party. She was born and brought up at the island of Zakynthos, Greece. She studied Sociology at the University of Geneva...	EPP	Greece Greece	355
3	Stavros Lambrinidis Stavros Lambrinidis Stavros Lambrinidis is a former Vice President of the European Parliament and was between 17 June 2011 until 11 November 2011 the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece.-Yale University:...  replaced by Anni Podimata	S&D Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the social-democratic political group in the European Parliament, formed by MEPs of the Party of European Socialists and allied centre-left parties. The group dates its ancestry via various names back to the beginning of the European...	Greece Greece	346
4	Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez is a Spanish politician and Member of the European Parliament for the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, part of the Party of European Socialists...	S&D Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the social-democratic political group in the European Parliament, formed by MEPs of the Party of European Socialists and allied centre-left parties. The group dates its ancestry via various names back to the beginning of the European...	Spain Spain	327
5	Alejo Vidal-Quadras	EPP	Spain Spain	308
6	Dagmar Roth-Behrendt Dagmar Roth-Behrendt Dagmar Roth-Behrendt is a German Member of the European Parliament, and a lawyer. She was elected on the SPD ticket and sits with the Party of European Socialists group....	S&D Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the social-democratic political group in the European Parliament, formed by MEPs of the Party of European Socialists and allied centre-left parties. The group dates its ancestry via various names back to the beginning of the European...	Germany Germany	287
7	Libor Rouček Libor Roucek Libor Rouček is a Czech politician andMember of the European Parliament with the Czech Social Democratic Party,part of the Socialist Group and sits onthe European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs....	S&D Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the social-democratic political group in the European Parliament, formed by MEPs of the Party of European Socialists and allied centre-left parties. The group dates its ancestry via various names back to the beginning of the European...	Czech Republic Czech Republic	278
8	Isabelle Durant Isabelle Durant Isabelle A.J. Durant is a Belgian politician, member of the Ecolo party. On 15 September, 2010 Durant supported the new initiative Spinelli Group in the European Parliament, which was founded to reinvigorate the strive for federalisation of the European Union...	Greens/EFA	Belgium Belgium	276
9	Roberta Angelilli Roberta Angelilli Roberta Angelilli is an Italian politician andMember of the European Parliamentfor Centralwith the Alleanza Nazionale, part of the Union for a Europe of Nations and sits on the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.She is a substitute for the Committee on...	EPP	Italy Italy	274
10	Diana Wallis Diana Wallis Diana Paulette Wallis is a British Liberal Democrat politician who is a Member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire and the Humber. Wallis was first elected in 1999 and re-elected in 2004 and in 2009....	ALDE Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe is a transnational alliance between two European political parties: the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party and the European Democratic Party. It has political groups in the European Parliament, the EU Committee of the Regions, the...	UK	272
11	Pál Schmitt Pál Schmitt Pál Schmitt is the current President of Hungary. He was elected President of Hungary in a 263 to 59 vote in the Parliament of Hungary and was sworn in on 2010....  (replaced by László Tőkés László Tokés László Tőkés is a Romanian politician of Hungarian ethnicity, currently serving as a Member of the European Parliament and Vice President of the European Parliament ....  in 2010)	EPP	Hungary Hungary	257
12	Edward McMillan-Scott Edward McMillan-Scott Edward Hugh Christian McMillan-Scott is a British Member of the European Parliament and one of the Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament...	Non-attached	UK	244
13	Rainer Wieland Rainer Wieland Rainer Wieland is a German politician and Member of the European Parliament for Baden-Württemberg. Since 2009 he is one of the 14 Vice Presidents of the Parliament. He is a member of the conservative Christian Democratic Union, part of the European People's Party...	EPP	Germany Germany	237
14	Silvana Koch-Mehrin Silvana Koch-Mehrin Esther Silvana Koch-Mehrin is a German politician and Member of the European Parliament with the Free Democratic Party of Germany. Until May 2011, she was Vice Chairwoman of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe. She is a member of the European Parliament's Committee on Budgets...	ALDE Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe is a transnational alliance between two European political parties: the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party and the European Democratic Party. It has political groups in the European Parliament, the EU Committee of the Regions, the...	Germany Germany	186

Changes since election
Departed member	Date	Reason	Replacement	Elected	Group	State
Silvana Koch-Mehrin Silvana Koch-Mehrin Esther Silvana Koch-Mehrin is a German politician and Member of the European Parliament with the Free Democratic Party of Germany. Until May 2011, she was Vice Chairwoman of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe. She is a member of the European Parliament's Committee on Budgets...	11 May 2011	Resigned due to scandal	Giles Chichester Giles Chichester Giles Chichester is a British Conservative Party politician, and a Member of the European Parliament for South West England and Gibraltar. He was elected as a temporary Vice President of the European Parliament on 6 July 2011 to replace Silvana Koch-Mehrin who had resigned over plagiarism...	6 July 2011	ECR European Conservatives and Reformists The European Conservatives and Reformists, abbreviated to ECR, is a conservative anti-federalist political group in the European Parliament. The group currently comprises 57 MEPs, making it the fourth-largest group in the European Parliament....	UK

External links

• Rules of Procedures, Rule 14: Election of Vice-Presidents
• Rules of Procedures, Rule 20: Duties of Vice-Presidents