MEP Gunnar Hökmark was elected Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group in a special election after former MEP Rumiana Jeleva resigned to become Foreign Minister of Bulgaria – and has since been nominated as Commissioner.Hökmark was elected in the first round with 103 votes, more than half of the total votes, from three candidates.
Gunnar Hökmark is a former member of the Swedish Parliament and Secretary General of the Moderate Party. He is a member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy in the European Parliament and was Vice Chairman of the EPP-ED Group from 2007 to 2009.