You may be aware that the European Parliament’s longest-serving member is stepping down. He has been the most persistent and effective campaigner for transparency in the EU, and I would hope all sides recognise his great work.
Jens-Peter Bonde was elected to the European Parliament in the first direct elections in June 1979 and is the longest serving MEP. There are five other MEPs from the first elections (Pöttering, Friedrich, von Wogau, Hänsch, Wurtz). They were elected on a Sunday. Bonde on the Thursday, so it is the longest serving MEP now leaving his place.
Bonde will be substituted by Hanne Dahl, 37, and thereby represent a change in generation and gender for the Danish June Movement.
In more than half of his life as an MEP, Mr Bonde has been leader of different groups in the European Parliament. No one else has attended so many meetings in the conference of Presidents.
Bonde has written 60 books on EU topics. Many of these are available for free download at his webpage: Bonde.eu
Jens-Peter Bonde has gained many victories for transparency, such as the publication of the secret telephone book, agendas and minutes of Commission meetings on the internet and 3,094 secret working groups from the Commission, available at Bonde.eu.
Soon the recipients of EU funding will also be on the Net together with the advisors in the many secret working groups. What is still missing is included in Bonde’s testament.
Mr Bonde was the architect behind the Danish No to the Maastricht treaty, 2 June 1992 and established the JuneMovement to fight for transparency, proximity and democracy in Europe.