Скачать или смотреть Today we celebrate the birth of the European Parliament

On this day in 1958, the European Parliamentary Assembly held its first session in Strasbourg, France. This is considered the birth of the European Parliament.

During its inaugural session, delegates elected former French foreign minister and EU architect Robert Schuman as its first president.

It was also the first time that Parliament sat according to political ideology instead of nationality.

What started with 142 delegates from just six nations has since grown into one of the world’s largest democratic institutions. Today, the European Parliament is made up of 720 democratically elected members from 27 EU countries.

Now more than ever, the European Parliament plays a crucial role in shaping the future of Europe by representing citizens in the decisions that matter.