Sebastião Bugalho fails election for vice-president of the European People's Party parliamentary group

Sebastião Bugalho, a PSD eurodeputy, failed to secure the vice-presidency of the European People's Party (EPP), leaving the party without representation in leadership for the first time since 2009. His candidacy was surprising as it disrupted the gender balance within the group, which mandates that four of the ten vice-presidencies must be held by women. Lídia Pereira, the previous vice-president, was replaced by Hungarian MEP Eszter Lakos, while other vice-presidents were re-elected. Bugalho accepted responsibility for the loss, stating it was a personal candidacy. Manfred Weber was re-elected as the EPP leader for his 13th consecutive term.