European Parliament calls for immediate Blatter resignation

FIFA president Sepp Blatter should resign from his role immediately, according to the European Parliament.

Blatter announced his intention to step down last week, in the wake of the corruption scandal that has engulfed world football’s governing body.

The 79-year-old remains in his post for the time being until a successor is chosen at an Extraordinary Congress that will be held between December this year and March 2016.

But the European Parliament, in a statement on Thursday, called for him to leave with immediate effect.

“The European Parliament…demand, among other things, the immediate resignation of FIFA president Joseph Blatter,” it read.

“Parliament welcomes Joseph Blatter’s resignation as FIFA president and calls on the federation to select an interim leader to replace him.

“FIFA should put in place a transparent, balanced and democratic decision-making process, including for the election of the new president, adds the resolution, which was passed by a show of hands.”

The statement also declared that the decisions to award Russia and Qatar the next two World Cups should be considered “invalid” if allegations of corruption regarding those processes are proven.