Bedingfield's mandate as MEP announced

The European Parliament has announced the beginning of Glenn Bedingfield's mandate as a Maltese member of the European Parliaemnt within the European Socialists' Group, effective last Wednesday.

Mr Bedingfield's first parliamentary commitment will be the plenary session to be held in Strasbourg on November 17.

The new MEP was elected on the first count during a casual election held to fill the seat vacated by Opposition leader Joseph Muscat. Mr Bedingfield obtained 62 per cent of the 40,900 votes cast for Dr Muscat during the European Parliamentary elections in 2004.