The European Parliament Tuesday elected former Polish Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek president -- the first member from the former communist bloc to hold the post.

The 69-year-old center-right politician, who served as prime minister in the late 1990s, received 555 713 votes.

In June, Buzek was re-elected to the European Parliament from the Polish Civic Platform party. He ran for president as a candidate of the European People's Party.

His term is for 2 1/2 years after which a candidate from the Socialist group is to take over, Polish Radio reported.

Buzek is the first Polish official to hold a high-ranking post in the European Union since Warsaw joined the Western bloc in 2004.

Buzek's powers as the parliament's president mainly concern protocol He also will chair sessions of parliament and represent the body at international meetings.