By Martin Banks - 15th July 2009
Parliament's outgoing president Hans-Gert Pöttering says he wants to return to being an "ordinary" MEP after his term in office.
The German centre-right deputy ended his term on Tuesday when Polish member Jerzy Buzek was elected president.
Speaking to this website after Buzek's election, Pöttering dismissed speculation that he would seek a high profile role in parliament or the chairmanship of a key parliamentary committee.
Instead, he said he wanted to devote his time to the task of ensuring that the House of European History "becomes a reality" by the end of the new legislature in five years' time.
He said, "This should serve as a place in which to remember and renew the European sense of identity. It is something very close to my heart.
"These are the two things I have tried to initiate in the last parliament and which I will take into the next one," he said.
He said he would also devote himself to promoting inter-cultural dialogue and peace in the Middle East.
"Parliament should persevere in resolutely promoting a two-state solution," said the former EPP group leader.
"In all my time in parliament I have held many different posts and, after a particularly busy two and a half years as president, I will be perfectly happy to return to being an 'ordinary' member again."
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