Election of new head of EU parliament is turning into true fight

The election of the European Union Parliament's president is gearing up to be a political dogfight.

While the 626-member EU assembly has been around for 52 years, it will be the first time a true contest takes place to elect it's most powerful member.

Parties from the centre and right are pitted against the socialists and greens.

Almost all political parties in the chamber have put forward a candidate and the winner will replace outgoing French conservative, Nicole Fontaine, who is ending a two and a half year term.

The early frontrunner, is 49-year old Irish liberal democrat Pat Cox, who leads the parliament's liberal democratic group with 52 seats, with British socialist David Martin, his main rival. There are three other candidates.

Cox, a former journalist, is expected to coast to an easy first-round victory, although support has weakened as many parliamentarians raised objections to secretive back-room deals which secured Cox's candidature.

Three years ago, Cox agreed to back the conservative's candidate for president in 1999, in return that the center-right European People's Party - with 232 seats - back his candidature this time around.