Cox sets out his stall for presidency

The Munster MEP, Mr Pat Cox, has launched his campaign to become President of the European Parliament with a pledge to connect the institution more closely with the people of Europe. He was speaking at a debate in Brussels with four other candidates for the position, which becomes vacant when Ms Nicole Fontaine steps down in January.

Mr Cox, who leads the Liberal Democrats in the parliament, is the front-runner following a promise of support from Ms Fontaine's conservative European People's Party (EPP). Under a deal reached between the two groups in 1999, the Liberal Democrats agreed to back Ms Fontaine in return for the EPP's support for Mr Cox two years later.

The election on January 15th will, however, be a secret ballot and although the EPP are not fielding a candidate, Mr Cox acknowledged yesterday that his success is far from certain.

Mr Cox's strongest challenger is Mr David Martin, a Scottish member of the Socialist group with more than a decade of service as one of the Parliament's 14 vice-presidents. He suggested that Mr Cox's candidature was the result of an unattractive backroom deal.

But Mr Cox insisted that he represented the smaller groups that have been excluded from the top jobs in parliament by the Socialists and the conservative EPP.

The Green MEP, Mr Daniel Cohn-Bendit, who is not a candidate, asked Mr Cox how he could reassure MEPs that his presidency would not be influenced by right-wing elements in the EPP such as Mr Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia.

Mr Cox replied that, although his group had made a deal with the conservatives, they had not formed a coalition and he was determined to remain independent.

"My judgment is not for sale," he said.