By Nicola Smith - 18th May 2004
Centre-right MEPs have voted consistently to keep lucrative pay and perks regimes and costly monthly trips to Strasbourg, new statistics have revealed.
Greens and the European Liberal Democrats are the most outspoken pro-reform groups in the European Parliament, scoring 84 and 83 per cent in specially compiled reform ratings.
This compares to 29 per cent for the centre right EPP-ED, with the Socialists reaching third place on the score chart with 53 per cent.
The index, compiled by the Campaign for Parliament Reform (CPR) and the London School of Economics, were based on voting records between 1999 and 2004 on the contentious question of parliament’s seat and members expenses.
According to the figures, Dutch MEPs Ieke van den Burg, Michiel van Hulten and Belgians Anne van Lancker and Said El Khadraoui rank are teacher pets with a perfect 100 per cent score record.
Jacques Santer, chief of the European Commission when it toppled from grace over fraud and nepotism scandals, scores a paltry five per cent in the parliament reform charts.
But even the infamous Luxembourger beats the head of the women’s committee, Rodi Kratsagaropoulou, who trails in last at a meagre three per cent.
The statistics also reveal a wide gap between the two candidates expected to take over as parliament chief in the next five year term.
UK Socialist MEP Terry Wynn, touted as president for the first half of the mandate, thrashes German MEP Hans-Gert Poettering, EPP-ED contender for the second half, with 81 per cent compared to 13.
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