Buzek was supported by 555 MEPs and received support from five of the assembly’s largest political groups. He will hold the post for the next two and a half years, when a candidate from the Socialist group will take over.

Speaking to the parliament directly after the vote was announced, Tuesday morning, Jerzy Buzek said: ”To everyone who voted for me I will try not to abuse your trust. To those who did not vote for me I will try to win your trust.”

Centre-right MEPs were buoyant before the vote, knowing that the position was all but set up for Buzek after weeks of negotiations and deal making by MEPs.

“We are going to the session in Strasbourg in a very good mood because we are expecting that our candidate will become the head of the EP,” stated Robert Fitzhenry, press secretary of the European People’s Party (EPP),

The EPP holds 265 of the 785 seats in parliament and of which Jerzy Buzek is a member.

The vote took place at the inaugural session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Buzek had just one rival – Eva-Britt Svensen from Sweden who had the support of leftwing MEPs outside of the main Socialist group (PES). In order for Buzek to win the vote he had to gain support of 50 percent of MEPs plus one.

Though this is the first high-profile position a Pole has held in the European Union, powers of the president are limited. President of the European Parliament’s role includes chairing meetings and sessions, representing the European Parliament and maintaining contact with various international institutions.

“Functions of the head of the European Parliament are mainly representative in character. The role is rather symbolic,” explains Tadeusz Chabiera of the Polish Institute of International Affairs.

Buzek’s has declared his priorities as leader ofd the parliament as being, “Climate change, energy security he economic crisis and the Eastern Partnership.”

Popular choice

Jerzy Buzek, a Protestant, was prime minister of Poland during the AWS led government from 1997 to 2001.

He was born in Silesia in 1940 and is a chemical engineer by training. He was active during the Solidarity years as an organizer at regional and national level.

He was elected to the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, in 1997 and was quickly elected as prime minister.

After losing his seat in 2001 he retired briefly from politics until he was elected as an MEP in 2004 European parliamentary elections.

In 2009, he was re-elected as an MEP for the Civic Platform party - with a record number of votes in Poland - and became the European People’s Party’s candidate for president of the European Parliament.