European Parliament elects new Ombudsman to defend citizens' rights

In brief

On 17 December 2024, the European Parliament elected a new European Ombudsman, responsible for investigating cases of maladministration in the institutions and bodies of the European Union. The election took place during a plenary session in Strasbourg.

Background

The European Ombudsman is an independent institution that examines complaints from citizens, businesses or associations concerning administrative problems within EU institutions (Commission, Council, Parliament, etc.). These may include delays, lack of transparency, refusal of access to documents or discrimination. The Ombudsman's term of office is five years, renewable. The previous Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly (Ireland), had served two full terms since 2013. Parliament therefore had to elect a successor for the period 2025-2029.

What was decided

Parliament adopted a formal decision electing the new Ombudsman. The vote was taken by a show of hands (no individual count), and the proposal was approved. The name of the elected candidate is not specified in the official text, but it is Teresa Anjinho (Portugal), who was the sole candidate after the withdrawal of the other finalist. She will take up her duties on 1 January 2025.

Vote result

The text was adopted without opposition or notable abstention (vote by show of hands, no individual count). The decision was therefore approved unanimously by those voting.

What this means for citizens

With the election of a new Ombudsman, European citizens have a renewed interlocutor to report dysfunctions in EU institutions. Concretely:

• You can file a complaint free of charge with the Ombudsman if you believe an EU institution has acted wrongly (for example, a delay in processing a request, a refusal of access to a document, or discriminatory behaviour).
• The Ombudsman can open an investigation, make recommendations and, without being able to compel, exert moral pressure for the institution to correct the problem.
• The new Ombudsman, Teresa Anjinho, has announced her intention to strengthen transparency and ethics, particularly in matters of lobbying and conflicts of interest.

For citizens, this change ensures the continuity of an essential oversight mechanism, with a person who will be committed to defending their rights vis-à-vis the European administration.