Presidents
The Presidents lead the Intergroup, and represent it both inside and outside of the European Parliament. Co-presidents take daily decisions on the Intergroup’s work, and both Co-presidents and Vice-presidents decide on the Intergroup’s priorities and work programme.
Our Co-presidents
Michael Cashman
Member State: United Kingdom
Group: Socialists & Democrats
Previously an actor and playwright, Michael founded and chaired the Stonewall Lesbian and Gay Rights Group in the United Kingdom. An active member of the Labour Party since 1975, he helped to establish a key campaigning unit and took a high profile across most elections. He is a member of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party.
Michael is currently Member of the European Parliament for the UK’s West Midlands region. He was first elected in 1999, and currently fulfills his third mandate. He is the European Parliamentary Labour Party Spokesperson on Development, a full member of the Petitions Committee, a substitute member of the Committee on Citizens’ Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs.
He is also the Chair of the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with South Africa, and a substitute member of the Africa Caribbean Pacific-European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly.
Staff member in charge of LGBT issues: Bruno Selun
Read more: Michael Cashman’s profile on the European Parliament website
Ulrike Lunacek
Member State: Austria
Group: Greens/European Free Alliance
Ulrike Lunacek has been a Member of the European Parliament since July 2009. She is Head of the Austrian Delegation to the European Parliament, and Spokesperson of Austrian Greens for European Affairs.
In the European Parliament, she is the Greens/EFA Group Coordinator for Foreign Affairs, a Member of the Subcommittee of Security and Defense, and Substitute of the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee. Furthermore, she is also Rapporteur on Kosovo.
She has been a Member of the Austrian Parliament for the Austrian Green Party for ten years, during which she was Vice-President of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Member of the European Committee, the Human Rights Committee and the Sports Committee, as well as Spokesperson of the Green Group on Foreign Affairs and Development Issues and on Equal Rights for LGBT persons.
Staff member in charge of LGBT issues: Caroline Ausserer
Read more: Ulrike Lunacek’s profile on the European Parliament website
Our Vice-presidents
Sophie in’t Veld
Member State: the Netherlands
Group: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe
A member of Democraten 66 in the Netherlands and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) in the European Parliament, Sophie in’t Veld has been a Member of the European Parliament since 2004. She graduated with a higher degree in History, and completed a post-doctoral training in management and public administration.
Sophie is Vice-chair of the Committee of Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, and a Member of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, and of the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee. Sophie founded and currently chairs the Religion and Politics Working Group, and she is also Chair of the European Parliament Working Group on Reproductive Health, HIV/AIDS and Development since 2009.
Staff member in charge of LGBT issues: Elzelien van der Steen
Read more: Sophie in’t Veld’s profile on the European Parliament website
Raül Romeva i Rueda
Member State: Spain
Group: Greens/European Free Alliance
Originally from Barcelona, Spain, Raül Romeva i Rueda graduated in International Economics and obtained his Ph.D. in International Relations. Before joining the European Parliament, Raül was Senior Analyst and Consultant on armed conflicts and post-war contexts, worked with the United Nations, and gave lectures at different universities on armed conflicts, peace building and post-war rehabilitation.
In June 2009, Raül Romeva i Rueda was re-elected to the European Parliament as Head of the list of Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds. Presently, Raül Romeva is Vice-Chair of the Greens/EFA political Group, Member of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, and Member of the Delegations to the Euro-Latin American and Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assemblies. Raül is also Substitute Member of the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee, as well as the Fisheries Committee.
Staff member in charge of LGBT issues: Pilar d’Orey
Read more: Raül Romeva’s profile on the European Parliament website
Sirpa Pietikäinen
Member State: Finland
Group: European People’s Party
With a long history as a politician, Sirpa Pietikäinen is a Finnish Member of the European People’s Party. As a Member of the European Parliament, she replaced Alexander Stubb in 2008, and was re-elected in 2009. She was Finland’s Minister of Environment in the 1990s.
In her parliamentary work, she is a Member in the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee, and a Substitute Member in both the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee and the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee. In addition to environmental, economic and equality issues, she is also interested in development, human rights and democracy, which feature prominently in her cooperation with civil society.
In addition to the Intergroup on LGBT Rights, Sirpa is Vice-president in the Animal Welfare Intergoup. She is also a Member of the Parliamentary Delegation to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Staff member in charge of LGBT issues: Aino Valtanen
Read more: Sirpa Pietikäinen’s profile on the European Parliament website
Rui Tavares
Member State: Portugal
Group: Confederal Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left
Staff member in charge of LGBT issues: João MacDonald
Read more: Rui Tavares’ profile on the European Parliament website
