Often dismissed as irrelevant, expensive and remote, the European Parliament is becoming increasingly hard to ignore. The 736-member forum was once considered just a democratic sticking plaster on the bureaucratic behemoth of the European Union but it has undeniably grown in importance since it was created as an assembly of appointees from member states in 1952. A key turning point was the introduction of direct elections in 1979, although Margaret Thatcher could only rarely bring herself to use the word parliament and continued to refer to the body as an assembly. Two important confrontations helped to establish parliamentary authority over the Brussels executive when MEPs helped to bring down the European Commission of Jacques Santer in 1999 over claims of sleaze and rejected Rocco Buttiglione, Silvio Berlusconi's selection for Justice Commissioner in 2004, because of his conservative Catholic views.
Often dismissed as irrelevant, expensive and remote, the European Parliament is becoming increasingly hard to ignore.
The 736-member forum was once considered just a democratic sticking plaster on the bureaucratic behemoth of the European Union but it has undeniably grown in importance since it was created as an assembly of appointees from member states in 1952.
A key turning point was the introduction of direct elections in 1979, although Margaret Thatcher could only rarely bring herself to use the word parliament and continued to refer to the body as an assembly.
Two important confrontations helped to establish parliamentary authority over the Brussels executive when MEPs helped to bring down the European Commission of Jacques Santer in 1999 over claims of sleaze and rejected Rocco Buttiglione, Silvio Berlusconi's selection for Justice Commissioner in 2004, because of his conservative Catholic views.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Amid a week that saw the landmark election of an MEP from a formerly communist country to the position of European parliament president, two other events also stood out as firsts of their kind. Czech MEP Edvard Kozusnik from the Civic Democrats (ODS) party arrived at the Strasbourg parliament for its first session after the June elections having cycled the 647 km from Prague in just under two weeks. The Tour de France is also going through the French region of Alsace-Lorraine this week Mr Kozusnik, whose skin-tight red lycra cycling gear stood out against the wash of grey and blue suits in the hemicycle, had promised supporters he would undertake the bicycle trip if elected. To help him on his journey, the new deputy set off from Prague on 2 July with a small backpack containing traditional Czech buns, a flask of plum brandy and a small magnifying glass given to him by his friends to scrutinise the notoriously technical EU legislation.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Amid a week that saw the landmark election of an MEP from a formerly communist country to the position of European parliament president, two other events also stood out as firsts of their kind.
Czech MEP Edvard Kozusnik from the Civic Democrats (ODS) party arrived at the Strasbourg parliament for its first session after the June elections having cycled the 647 km from Prague in just under two weeks.
The Tour de France is also going through the French region of Alsace-Lorraine this week
Mr Kozusnik, whose skin-tight red lycra cycling gear stood out against the wash of grey and blue suits in the hemicycle, had promised supporters he would undertake the bicycle trip if elected.
To help him on his journey, the new deputy set off from Prague on 2 July with a small backpack containing traditional Czech buns, a flask of plum brandy and a small magnifying glass given to him by his friends to scrutinise the notoriously technical EU legislation.
