On Tuesday, the Parliament voted in secret ballot in plenary to support Teresa Anjinho (Portugal) as European Ombudsman for a five-year term, with 344 MEPs in favour.
After two rounds of voting, Teresa Anjinho received the necessary majority of votes cast. Six candidates took part in the first and second rounds of voting: Teresa Anjinho (Portugal), Emilio De Capitani (Italy), Marino Fardelli (Italy), Julia Laffranque (Estonia), Claudia Mahler (Austria) and Reinier van Zutphen (Netherlands).
New European Ombudsman
Teresa Anjinho is an independent human rights expert and academic who has served as a member of the Supervisory Committee of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and previously as Deputy Ombudsman in Portugal.
During the Petitions Committee's public hearing on 3 December 2024, Anjinho pledged to strengthen the trust between the EU and its citizens by upholding the highest standards of integrity, accountability and responsiveness.
"Today's world does not understand indecision due to unnecessary formalities or bureaucracy; nor does it accept unjustified delays. We must always respect due process, rules and essential formal procedures, but we must also do our homework. It is a question of trust in the institution, but also - ultimately - in the European Union as a whole," told MEPs.
Following approval by the European Parliament, the new European Ombudsman will take up his post after a swearing-in ceremony on 27 February 2025 at the Court of Justice of the EU for a period of five years.
The current Irish Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, first took up her post in July 2013 and renewed her mandate for a second term in December 2019. She was preceded by Paraskevas Nikiforos Diamandouros of Greece (2003-2013) and Jacob Söderman of Finland (1995-2003).
The European Ombudsman was set up in 1995 to investigate cases of maladministration in EU institutions, bodies and agencies, either on his own initiative or following complaints from EU citizens.
EP/ gnews - RoZ
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