The Group of the European People's Party (EPP) in the European Parliament has re-elected its Chairman Joseph Daul (UMP, France) by a very large majority.

Joseph Daul has been Chairman of the EPP Group since 2007 and will lead the biggest Group in the European Parliament (centre-right) to the next European Elections in 2014.

A farmer from Alsace, Joseph Daul has been a Member of the European Parliament since 1999. He has presided the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, and was Chairman of the Conference of Chairs of the parliamentary committees before succeeding Hans-Gert Poettering as Chairman of the EPP Group.

Thanking his 271 colleagues for having shown their confidence in him for the third time, Joseph Daul said that he will continue to work on a quick exit to Europe's crisis and for the respect of the Community method which has given us 60 years of peace and prosperity.

The Vice-Chairmen of the EPP Group elected or re-elected are Vito Bonsignore, Gunnar Hökmark, Ioannis Kasoulides, Marian Jean Marinescu, Jaime Mayor Oreja, Jan Olbrycht, Paulo Rangel, József Szájer, Manfred Weber and Corien Wortmann-Kool.

For further information:

Joseph DAUL MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group, Tel: +33-3-88175525

Antoine Ripoll, Chairman's Spokesman, Tel: +32-475-856290

Notes to Editors:

The EPP Group is by far the largest political group in the European Parliament with 272 Members.