The Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness is now canvassing support from her EPP party colleagues in the European Parliament to secure their backing for her bid to win the presidency of the Parliament.
The European People’s Party is the biggest group in the Parliament.
And whoever they nominate as their presidential candidate would be in a strong position to win the race.
The EPP will vote for their candidate in December and then the entire Parliament will vote in January.
That ballot will include all of the rest of the candidates from other political groups running for the Parliament’s top job.
Mairead McGuinness says she feels she can bring about the change that she thinks people want in the parliament but she acknowledges there are challenges ahead:
