German MEP Martin Schulz, the current chairman of the Group of Progessive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, is likely to become the new President of the European Parliament for two years later this month.
The election of the new president, who will succeed Polish Jerzy Buzek, will take place during the plenary session of the EU parliament in Strasbourg on January 17.
Besides Schulz, two British MEPs are also running for president: Conservative Nirj Deva and Liberal Dianna Wallis.
But Schulz is almost certain to win the vote following a political deal between the two main political groups of the 736-member European Parliament, the Group of the European People's Party (centre-right) and the Group of Progessive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (centre-left).
A former bookshop owner, Schulz is a member of the EU assembly since 1994.
In his final speech as European Parliament President in December, Jerzy Buzek called on the European Union to fight to overcome the crisis, because "to remain strong requires an everyday investment in our common Europe".
"The Union has moved into a deep crisis whose causes are as much political and psychological, as economic," he said.
He called for "a new wave of political integration...a new wave of economic integration...a real economic and fiscal union" in a genuine spirit of cooperation, a true New Deal for Europe.”
EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy announced last month that all 27 EU leaders are to meet n Brussels at the end of January or in early February to take stock of work on the new inter-governmental treaty and discuss measures aimed at boosting economic growth.
The European Parliament has selected three members from different groups to participate in the negotiations of the inter-governmental treaty: German MEP Elmar Brok from the European People's Party, Italian Social-Democrat Roberto Gualtieri and Belgian Liberal Guy Verhofstadt.
Denmark took over the six-month rotating EU presidency from Poland on January 1.