María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia are the 2024 winners of the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. 
The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought was set up in 1988 to honour individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2024

When we think of the European Parliament, we usually imagine MEPs voting in the debating chamber. In reality, though, voting only takes place once a month, during plenary part-sessions. But what actually are these part-sessions, and how do they work?

What are plenary sessions?

Out of the jargon jungle. The role of the European Parliament President?

The role of the European Parliament President?

On 19 March 1958, the European Parliamentary Assembly hold a first meeting in Strasbourg. Luciano GRANZOTTO BASSO, Oldest member of the Assembly leads the election. The representatives elect Robert Schuman as President. He is the single candidate at the function.

Constitutive session of the European Parliamentary Assembly: election of Robert SCHUMAN, as President of the Assembly

A formal sitting is&nbsp;held to mark an official visit to the European Parliament, made at the President’s invitation after consulting with the Conference of Presidents.

The official guest is seated to the right of the President on the podium. After the welcoming remarks by the President, the official guest addresses the&nbsp; Parliament from the central rostrum in the Chamber.

The address for a formal sitting of Parliament&nbsp;usually lasts 30 minutes and generally takes place before the voting session.

Formal Sittings

On certain occasions, David SASSOLI, President of the European Parliament, gives a speech during plenary sessions highlighting the news, a special event or pays tribute to a personality and asks for a minute of silence.

Statements of David SASSOLI, EP President in Plenary

EP Plenary session - EU funding of physical border protection structures such as walls, fences or other barriers at the external border

EP Plenary session - Voting session

EP Plenary session - Cryptocurrencies - need for global standards

EP Plenary session - Combating Desertification: 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention

EP Plenary session - Stepping up international action to protect whales following Iceland’s decision to extend commercial whaling until 2029

EP Plenary session - Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law

EP Plenary session - EU financing through the LIFE programme of entities lobbying EU institutions and the need for transparency

EP Plenary session - Links between organised crime and smuggling of migrants in light of the recent UN reports

EP Plenary session - Failure of the negotiations in Busan for a UN plastic treaty and the urgent need to tackle plastic pollution at international and Union level

EP Plenary session - Addressing EU demographic challenges: towards the implementation of the 2023 Demography Toolbox

EP Plenary session - Uniting Europe against actors hostile to the EU: time to strengthen our security and defence

EP Plenary session - Presentation of the programme of activities of the Polish Presidency

EP Plenary session - Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 19 December 2024

Strasbourg's Plenary session through the lens . Week 4

EP Plenary session - Humanitarian crisis in Sudan

EP Plenary session - Situation in Venezuela following the usurpation of the presidency on 10 January 2025

EP Plenary session Debate with the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel MACRON, on the Future of Europe during the plenary session in Strasbourg (16-19/04/2018)

(03) EP Plenary session - Debate on the Future of Europe with Emmanuel MACRON, President of the French Republic - First round of political group speakers: Syed KAMAL (ECR, UK) (11:15 - 11:21)

During the EP plenary session (16- 19 April 2018) in Strasbourg, MEPs vote on new rules under wich member states will have to develop national long-term strategies to support the renovation of residential and non-residential buildings, to achieve CO2 neutral building stock by 2050. The results from the vote on the BENDTSEN report (AM 87) are: 42 in favour, 604 against and 35 abstentions. The results from the vote on the BENDTSEN report (AM 88) are: 546 in favour, 35 against and 96 abstentions. Illustrative pictures: ways how to improve energy performances of buildings.

Energy performance of buildings: extracts from the vote and illustrative pictures

(04) EP Plenary session - Debate on the Future of Europe with Emmanuel MACRON, President of the French Republic - First round of political group speakers: Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE) (11:21 - 11:30)

During the EP plenary session (16- 19 April 2018) in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on the situation in Russia. Statements by Christos STYLIANIDES, Member of the EC in charge of Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Sandra KALNIETE (EPP, LV), Anna Elżbieta FOTYGA (ECR, PL), Petras AUSTREVICIUS (ALDE, LT) and Rebecca HARMS (Greens/EFA, DE).

Situation in Russia: extracts from the debate

During the EP plenary session (16- 19 April 2018) in Strasbourg, MEPs debate the case of two Greek soldiers arrested and detained in Turkey. Statements by Christos STYLIANIDES, Member of the EC in charge of Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Manolis KEFALOGIANNIS (EPP, EL), Nikos ANDROULAKIS (S&D, EL), Cecilia WIKSTRÖM (ALDE, SE) and Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS (GUE/NGL, EL).

Case of two Greek soldiers arrested and detained in Turkey: extracts form the debate

During the EP plenary session (16- 19 April 2018) in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on the situation in Syria. Statements by Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, and José Ignacio SALAFRANCA SÁNCHEZ-NEYRA (EPP, ES), Marietje SCHAAKE (ALDE, NL) and Marisa MATIAS (GUE/NGL, PT).

Situation in Syria: extracts from the debate

EP Plenary session - Debate on the Situation in Syria during the plenary session in Strasbourg (16-19/04/2018)

EP Plenary session - Debate on the Situation in Syria - First round of political group speakers

EP Plenary session - Debate on the Situation in Syria - Opening statement by Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the EC

EP Plenary session - Debate on the Situation in Syria - Closing statement by Christos STYLIANIDES, Member of the EC in charge of Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management for VPC/HR

EP Plenary session - Debate on the Future of Europe with Emmanuel MACRON, President of the French Republic - Opening statement by Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC

EP Plenary session - Debate on the Future of Europe with Emmanuel MACRON, President of the French Republic - Catch the eye

EP Plenary session - Debate on the Future of Europe - Final statement by Emmanuel MACRON, President of the French Republic

EP Plenary session - Debate on the Future of Europe - Answers by Emmanuel MACRON, President of the French Republic to the first round of political group speakers

(01) EP Plenary session - Debate on the Future of Europe with Emmanuel MACRON, President of the French Republic - First round of political group speakers: Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE) (10:58 - 11:08)

(02) EP Plenary session - Debate on the Future of Europe with Emmanuel MACRON, President of the French Republic - First round of political group speakers: Udo BULLMANN (S&D, DE) (11:08 - 11:15)

During the EP plenary session (16- 19 April 2018) in Strasbourg, MEPs debate the peace prospects for the Korean peninsula in the light of recent developments. Statements by Monika PANAYOTOVA, Deputy Minister for the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU, Cristian Dan PREDA (EPP, RO), Nirj DEVA (ECR, UK), Chair of the Delegation for relations with the Korean Peninsula, and David McALLISTER (EPP, DE).

Peace prospects for the Korean peninsula in the light of recent developments: extracts from the debate

(02) EP Plenary session - Statement by Emmanuel MACRON, President of the French Republic, on the Future of Europe (10:34 - 10:49)

(08) EP Plenary session - Debate on the Future of Europe with Emmanuel MACRON, President of the French Republic - First round of political group speakers: Nicolas BAY (ENF, FR) (11:45 - 11:51)

6,831 results