Teresa Anjinho from Portugal has been elected as the new European Ombudsman for a five-year term following a secret plenary vote in the European Parliament. Anjinho received 344 votes in favor, as announced by the European Parliament (EP).
Anjinho is an independent expert in human rights and an academic researcher. She previously served as the deputy ombudsman of Portugal and is currently a member of the Supervisory Board of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).
In a discussion during a public debate in the Committee on Petitions on December 3, 2024, Anjinho committed to strengthening the trust between the European Union (EU) and its citizens by upholding the highest standards of integrity, accountability, and swift action.
“The world today cannot tolerate indecisiveness, unnecessary formalities, or bureaucracies, and will not accept unjustified delays. We must always respect due process, the rules, and formal procedures, but we must also meet our obligations. This is a matter of trust in the institution and, ultimately, trust in the EU as a whole,” she told European Parliament members.
After two rounds of voting, Anjinho secured the necessary majority. Six candidates participated in the election: Teresa Anjinho (Portugal), Emilio De Capitani (Italy), Marino Fardeli (Italy), Julija Lafranke (Estonia), Klaudia Maler (Austria), and Rajnie van Zutfen (Netherlands).
