Vice President of the European Commission Antonio Tajani meets EU officials to discuss plans to close ArcelorMittal plants at the EU Commission in Brussels February 12, 2013. REUTERS/Laurent Dubrule
STRASBOURG (Reuters) - The European liberal party ALDE withdrew its candidate from Tuesday's ballot to elect a new speaker of the European Parliament and backed the centre-right favourite, seeking a new pro-EU coalition.
The surprise withdrawal of centrist Guy Verhofstadt, a former Belgian prime minister, before voting began, appeared to strengthen the hand of Italian conservative Antonio Tajani and underlined how mainstream, pro-EU parties are trying to keep a grip on the legislature against a vocal eurosceptic minority.
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