Mairead McGuinness in running to become president of European Parliament

Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness is emerging as a leading candidate to become the European People’s Party (EPP) nominee for the post of president of the European Parliament.

The election of the next president will take place in January when president Martin Schulz’s 2½-year term ends. Under a deal struck between the parliament’s two biggest political groups after the 2014 elections, the presidency is due to pass to the centre right EPP group from Schulz’s centre-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group.

But while Mr Schulz has previously indicated his preference to stay on for a third term, the news this week that the head of the German Social Democrats party, Frank Walter Steinmeier, is in line to become German president has put Mr Schulz in the running to succeed him as foreign minister.

The development makes it more likely that the next head of the European Parliament will be from the EPP group.

Speaking in Brussels on Wednesday following a meeting of the EPP, group chairman Manfred Weber declined to speculate on the impact of political developments in Germany on Mr Schulz’s candidature.

Final decision

But he said discussions would now begin internally within the EPP group about the selection of a candidate with a final decision expected by December 13th.

“The EPP is the largest group. We have a mandate from the people in the European elections,” he said. “We are the biggest group in this house, that’s why we have the right and the obligation to present a candidate.”

Senior EU sources have told The Irish Times that Ms Mc Guinness could very likely emerge as the EPP's candidate.

As one of only 12 vice-presidents of the 751-member European Parliament, the Irish MEP already has a high profile in the parliament, and is well-regarded within the EPP group.

Crucially, she has a good relationship with other groups in the European Parliament, a vital attribute for any nominee who will need the support of non-EPP MEPs to be elected.

Mr Weber, who was reappointed as chairman of the EPP group on Wednesday, has also not ruled out running himself.

Minister for European Affairs Dara Murphy, who is a vice-president of the EPP party, said Ms Guinness would be a highly qualified candidate who had his “full support and support of the Government” for the role.

As a founding member of the EPP group, Fine Gael has strong links within the European Parliament’s largest political group, which also includes German chancellor Angela Merkel’s CDU party.

Ms McGuinness’ s gender and nationality may serve as an advantage in the selection process, with many MEPs reluctant to endorse another male candidate from a large EU member state.

Irish man Pat Cox was president of the parliament between 2002 and 2004.