Greens want Schulz to quit parliamentary role

Green MEPs have called on Martin Schulz to relinquish his position as president of the European Parliament, on the basis that running for the top job at the European Commission represents a conflict of interest.

In a statement released on 1 March, the leaders of the Greens/European Free Alliance parties Dany Cohn-Bendit and Rebecca Harms state that “a clear distinction must be drawn between the non-political and representative function of the president of the European Parliament and the campaign for the presidency of the European Commission.”

Schulz has been nominated by the Party of European Socialists as their lead candidate to become the president of the European Commission following the Parliamentary elections in May. His selection was confirmed by the party in a vote on 1 March.