The members of the European Parliament were directly elected for the first time. The parliament held its first session in Strasbourg on 17 July 1979. Louise Weiss as the "oldest member" presided over the chamber. Simone Veil was elected president.

The Decision and Act on European elections by direct universal suffrage were signed in Brussels on 20 September 1976. Following ratification by all Member States, the Act entered into force on July 1978, and the first elections took place on 7 and 10 June 1979.

Louise Weiss was a journalist and politician. She co-founded the journal “L’Europe Nouvelle” later she created a movement advocating women’s suffrage in France. She became the oldest member of the European Parliament in 1979.

Already a renowned politician in France, where she became minister for health in 1974, Veil was elected member of the European Parliament at the first direct elections in 1979. The new Parliament elected her as its president for a period of two-and-a-half years. She thus became the first president of the directly-elected European Parliament and the first woman president of any EU institution.

40 years ago - First session of the directly elected European Parliament

Election of EP President DANKERT

Pieter DANKERT, Enrico VINCI and Louise WEISS

Louise WEISS, Pieter DANKERT, Simone VEIL

Former EP Presidents Louise WEISS, Pieter DANKERT and Simone VEIL in 1982

Statue - Bust of the former MEP Louise WEISS at the European Parliament of Strasbourg in July 2000.

Sculpture of Louise WEISS

Election of Pieter DANKERT as EP President

The MEPs Pierre PFLIMLIN and Louise WEISS during a session in Strasbourg in July 1981.

Plenary Session in Strasbourg in April 1981

The MEP Louise WEISS during a session in Strasbourg in September 1980.

The MEP Louise WEISS being interviewed by journalists in July 1980.

The MEP Louise WEISS during a session in Strasbourg in March 1980.

Meeting september 1979.Boulevard de l'Empereur Bruxelles

Plenary session in Strasbourg in july 1979 - Election of Simone VEIL as President of the Parliament

Plenary session in Strasbourg in july 1979.First session of the directly-elected European ParliamentElection of Simone VEIL as President of the Parliament

This video recalls the history of Louise Weiss: a committed European.

IT subt - Clip: Exhibition on Louise Weiss: a committed European (Version with Italian subtitles)

MT subt - Clip: Exhibition on Louise Weiss: a committed European (Version with Maltese subtitles)

LV subt - Clip: Exhibition on Louise Weiss: a committed European (Version with Latvian subtitles)

FI subt - Clip: Exhibition on Louise Weiss: a committed European (Version with Finnish subtitles)

GA subt - Clip: Exhibition on Louise Weiss: a committed European (Version with Irish subtitles)

HR subt - Clip: Exhibition on Louise Weiss: a committed European (Version with Croatian subtitles)

HU subt - Clip: Exhibition on Louise Weiss: a committed European (Version with Hungarian subtitles)

This memoclip illustrates the relationship between the German Chancellors and the European Parliament, consisting of the visits and speeches made by the Presidents

Memoclip: The German Chancellors and the European Parliament

This memoclip illustrates the relations between Simone Veil and the European institutions, from her election as President of the European Parliament in 1979 until the inauguration of the Simone Veil Agora in Brussels in 2011. Simone Veil was the first President of the European Parliament elected by universal suffrage, from 1979 to 1982.

Memoclip: Tribute to Simone VEIL

Jacques CHIRAC and the European Institutions, from 1979 to 2007

Memoclip: Jacques CHIRAC and the European Institutions

Simone Veil, former European Parliament President, passed away on 30 June 2017. She was a survivor of the Nazi concentration camps and central figure of feminism in Europe. In 1979 she became the first President of the directly elected European Parliament.

The story of the EP by the its President: Simone VEIL (1979 -1982) - 4/3 version

This infoclip presents several women who had a significant importance in the construction of the European Union.

Memoclip: Women building Europe

Opening session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, which took place on the 17th of July 1979. Louise Weiss holds a speech as the oldest member of the Parliament.

First sitting of the European Parliament elected by direct universal suffrage - Address by Louise WEISS, oldest EP Member, before the election of the EP President

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