The leader of the European People's Party (EPP) group in the European Parliament, German MEP Hans Gert Pottering, is expected to be elected president of the EU chamber in January, succeeding Spanish Socialist MEP Josep Borrell at the end of his two-and-a-half-year term.

Mr Poettering's candidacy for the post was officially put into motion yesterday during a meeting of the EPP group in Strasbourg. However, his election is almost already certain following a compromise deal at the beginning of the legislature between the Socialist and the EPP group to share the top EP post between them. Between them the two political groups control the House.

The agreement was criticised by the other political components represented at the European Parliament. The new president of the EP will be elected in Strasbourg on January 16. According to EP rules, a new president is elected every two and a half years at the beginning of each Parliament and at mid term.

Mr Poettering, who was elected to the European Parliament in the first direct elections held in 1979, has been chairman of the EPP-ED Group since 1999. As chairman he has in particular worked for institutional development, the strengthening of the European Parliament and for the enlargement of the Union to include the young democracies of Central Europe.

The nomination of Mr Poettering was initially proposed by the German CDU/CSU delegation and supported by the group presidency and all of the 25 delegation leaders, including the Nationalist Party's delegation leader at the EP, Simon Busuttil.

The departure of Mr Poettering from the EPP group leadership will now also open the way for a new leader to head the most influential political group in the EP.