Jan-Christoph Oetjen MEP, from ALDE Party member FDP in Germany, was elected European Parliament Vice-President for Renew Europe on 16 January.  

He will replace Nicola Beer, also from FDP, who left her role as MEP and European Parliament Vice-President after being appointed European Investment Bank Vice-President in December.  

Oetjen was elected by acclamation during the European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg on Tuesday, becoming the European Parliament’s eleventh Vice-President, and the third representative of Renew Europe in the bureau after Dita Charanzová MEP and Martin Hojsík MEP.  

Oetjen has been a Member of the European Parliament since 2019, following a 16-year career as member of the state parliament of Lower Saxony, Germany. 

"We need to bring the [European] Parliament closer to the people. Far too often, Europe is still too far removed from the daily lives of many people," said Oetjen. 

Heute wurde ich zum Vizepräsidenten des Europäischen Parlaments gewählt!🇪🇺💛

Ich freue mich sehr auf die kommende Zeit und die neue Verantwortung, die auf mich zukommt. Wir haben in den kommenden Monaten noch viel zu tun und ich kann es kaum erwarten mit anzupacken! pic.twitter.com/EX9ahQtv8G

— Jan-Christoph Oetjen (@jcoetjen) January 16, 2024

Beer’s vacant seat in the European Parliament was taken up by Michail Kauch MEP, while Moritz Körner MEP takes over the post of FDP head of delegation in Renew Europe. 

Kauch is a former member of the German Bundestag between 2003-13, as well as the current chair of the FDP Federal Committee on Labour and Social Affairs. 

“I would like to use this short time to, in addition to the ongoing legislative work, primarily advance the civil and human rights of LGBTI people. There is a lot to be done in parts of Eastern Europe, but currently also in Italy. Globally, the EU must also play a stronger role for queer rights,” said Kauch.