The leaders of the “twenty-seven” will discuss this Monday evening in Brussels the distribution of the “top jobs”, the highest positions in the EU after the European elections.
The informal meeting is the first meeting of EU heads of state and government since elections marked by a surge in the far right in several countries, including France and Germany.
With the European Council scheduled for June 27 and 28, a consensus on the EU’s four pillars appears to be already emerging.
“I think things can move forward efficiently. In any case, this is my wish. It is in this spirit that I will go on Monday,” French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday at the G7 summit in Italy, where he spoke with Olaf Scholz and Ursula von der Leyen.
The same story from the German Chancellor: “A political majority is being formed. I have the feeling that there is no point in delaying and that everything can be resolved quickly,” Olaf Scholz told ARD on Saturday.
The President of the European Commission will be present at the start of the leaders’ discussions, but will disappear during the dinner, where the issue of “top positions”, including herself, will be discussed.
Ursula von der Leyen has a good chance of doing well as the candidate of the European People’s Party (EPP, right), the political family that came first in the election with 190 seats (+14) in the new parliament, according to results that are still unknown. temporary.
However, the appointment of the 65-year-old German woman from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is not automatic: she needs to gather a “qualified majority” from at least 15 countries, representing 65% of Europe’s population.
The EPP has about a dozen leaders in the European Council. The support of Emmanuel Macron from the centrist and liberal camp, as well as Olaf Scholz from the Social Democratic family, is crucial. But the two men emerged from the European elections weakened, with their parties defeated by the far right, leading to snap legislative elections being called in France.
Conversely, strengthened by these elections, the head of the Italian government, Giorgia Meloni, who belongs to the post-fascist far right, might be interested in not making too early decisions on “top positions” and wait to make it more clear. about the creation of groups in the European Parliament in order to coordinate the positions of their political family, diplomats believe. His European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group won 76 seats, four fewer than Europe Renewed (including Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance Party), but its ranks could be bolstered by a number of MEPs currently in the the number is approximately 90 unregistered.
If she is indeed elected by the leaders, Ursula von der Leyen would then have to be voted in by an absolute majority of the 361 newly elected MEPs. In 2019, she was narrowly elected with 9 votes in advance.
Departure of Charles Michel
The current President of the European Council, responsible in particular for organizing and leading summits of the leaders of member countries, the Belgian Charles Michel, who maintains a notoriously difficult relationship with Ursula von der Leyen, must leave his functions.
This position is claimed by the Social Democrats, who make up the second political group in the European Parliament. Former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa is expected to attend. Except the 62-year-old socialist is the subject of an investigation for influence peddling, which led to his resignation from the Portuguese government in November.
An Eastern European at the Head of Diplomacy
Also at stake is the post of High Representative for Foreign Affairs, hitherto held by Spanish socialist Josep Borrell, who is retiring at the age of 77. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas appears to be the favorite to replace him. This 46-year-old liberal will be the only Eastern European among the holders of the “top positions”. The leader declared her unwavering support for Ukraine in the war, which was started by Russia, a country bordering Estonia.
The European Parliament will be headed by 45-year-old Maltese Roberta Metsola (PPE) from January 2022, barring an unexpected return, for a period of two and a half years.
Source: Le Parisien
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