MEPs stop Le Pen from chairing European Parliament session

MEPs on Wednesday (6 May) changed the rules of the European Parliament to prevent far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen from opening the inaugural session of the next parliament in July.

The move was hastily pushed through parliament via an amendment to a report on the internal workings of the EU assembly after it recently became clear that the French politician, who has downplayed the Holocaust, could assume the prominent role.

Under the previous rules, the oldest MEP chairs the...