By Martin Banks - 26th June 2007
Angela Merkel has won cross-party parliamentary support for her role in brokering a deal at last week’s EU summit.
The German chancellor was in parliament today to collect the Robert Schuman Medal, named after one of the EU’s founding fathers, from the EPP-ED group.
The occasion afforded MEPs from both the EPP-ED and Socialist groups with the opportunity to lavish praise on her for her efforts during the marathon Brussels talks.
PES leader Martin Schulz said his compatriot had shown a “new style” of leadership at the summit.
He told her, however, that the proposed reform treaty she helped draft was “not in the bag” and that further challenges lay ahead.
His comments were echoed by UK Socialist MEP Richard Corbett who also praised Merkel for “salvaging the bulk” of the constitutional treaty rejected by Dutch and French voters.
In presenting Merkel with her award, EPP-ED leader Joseph Daul compared her to a “tiger” who had initiated efforts to press for EU reforms during Germany’s six-month presidency.
Merkel told a packed plenary she regarded the award as a “great honour” and said she believes the European parliament was the “big winner” to emerge from the summit.
“It will enjoy greater legislative powers and I will continue to do all in my power to ensure that it gets the respect it deserves," she said.
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