Usually our plenary weeks in Strasbourg are full of action. Meetings, speeches, reports and negotiations fill the day. Not so this week.
This week has been a bit on the slow side. Not that electing the President of the Parliament or listening to Angela Merkel is boring. On the contrary. It’s just that we have not been doing much legislative work.
I guess it’s good to have a slow start. I’ve had a chance to catch up on some reading and writing.
I was really happy about the election of Hans-Gert Pöttering as the President of the European Parliament. He is a convinced European and a member of the EP since 1979.
Angela Merkel’ls speech was also excellent. I recommend especially the first half of it. One of the best statements on the soul of Europe that I have heard in a long time. You can find the speech here http://www.eu2007.de/en/index.html?null.
I must admit that I get awfully homesick in Strasbourg. It’s not nice spending three nights and four days away from your family. The big news on the homefront is that Emilie (5 years) started here piano lessons today. Big day!
