Internal politics are consuming as much time as European politics at the European parliament in Strasbourg. Amid signs Hans-Gert Pöttering, the veteran German centre-right leader, will have a free ride to the speaker’s chair, a grassroots revolt is growing.

On Tuesday MEPs from fringe parties launched a reform plan with such radical aims as having one location instead of two, having an open race for speaker and giving MEPs enough time to decide which way to vote.