Well worth a visit if you have the time in Brussels.
Experience the European Parliament as never before: a journey through EU democracy from past to present
If you come to Brussels you cannot miss a visit to the European Parliament with Mr. Frank Schwalba-Hoth. If you don’t have this chance, 2LUXURY2 offers you an online visit with him.
The best host in the European Parliament (EP or Europarl), Frank who was at the base of the Green Party in Germany became MEP in Brussels from 1984 to 1987, deputy President of the Petitions Committee, in 1986/87 he was one of two Co-Presidents of his political Group in the European Parliament before stepping down because of the rotation principle (“Rotationsprinzip”).
As co-founder of the German Green Party, Frank Schwalba-Hoth has served as a member of the Landtag of Hesse in 1982/1983. Since leaving the EP, Frank has lead the Greenpeace EU Office in Brussels, and has also occasionally worked for the European Commission TACIS Programm in Central Asia. Since his exit from the European Parliament works Schwalba-Hoth as a consultant and lobbyist in Brussels. Since 2002 he works as an independent political strategist with a focus on civil society, sustainable development, energy policy, development of the EU and institutional matters.
The European Parliament is now one of the most powerful legislatures in the world both in terms of its legislative and executive oversight powers.
Similar to a national parliament, the European Parliament consists of an elected group of representatives called Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), there are 785 MEPs after the 2004 elections. The 785 MEPs represent the second largest democratic electorate in the world (after the Parliament of India) and the largest trans-national democratic electorate in the world.
The Espace Léopold is the complex of parliament buildings in Brussels housing the European Parliament.It consists of a number of buildings, primarily the oldest, the Paul-Henri Spaak building, which houses the debating chamber and the President’s offices, and the Altiero Spinelli building which is the largest. The buildings are located in the European quarter in the east of Brussels, with building starting in 1989.
