Antonio Tajani elected new EU parliament speaker

Italian conservative Antonio Tajani has been elected the new president of the European Parliament.

Mr Tajani, 63, is a former spokesman for Italy's Silvio Berlusconi and an ex-European commissioner.

He defeated another Italian, Gianni Pitella, and will take over from Germany's Martin Schulz, BBC reports.

Mr Tajani secured 351 votes, against 282 for Mr Pittella, a socialist. The contest ran to the maximum four rounds.