The SNP's Ian Hudghton has been re-elected president of the European Free Alliance Parliamentary Group in the European Parliament. Mr Hudghton - also President of the SNP - has led the group which includes the SNP and Plaid Cymru MEPs since the 2003 European Elections.

The current term runs until the European elections in 2009. As well as being President of the EFA Group, Mr Hudghton has also been re-elected Senior Vice-President of the Green/EFA Group, the fourth largest grouping of MEPs in the European Parliament.

Mr Hudghton commented:

"I'm very pleased to have received the support of my colleagues and look forward to continuing in the role. We are fortunate to be part of such a dedicated team of politicians.

Since the last European elections, we now find ourselves working with colleagues from ten new Member States, many of them smaller than Scotland, Wales or Catalonia. Soon we will be welcoming colleagues from Romania and Bulgaria who will be taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the European Union to improve prosperity and quality of life in their countries.

In this context, it's now more important than ever that we are here making the strongest possible case for our own nations to become full EU members in their own right. We have a great deal of work ahead and I look forward to working with colleagues in the years to come."

In addition to Mr Hudghton, Jill Evans of Plaid Cymru and Bernat Joan of Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya were elected Vice Presidents of the EFA parliamentary group.