EU leaders back another von der Leyen term: Reports
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European political groups reached a deal on top European Union posts, choosing Germany's Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as the head of the European Commission.
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrives for a meeting of the EPP party ahead of an EU summit in Brussels, on Monday, June 17, 2024. (AP)
Germany's Ursula von der Leyen is set to take on a second term as head of the European Commission, multiple news outlets have reported citing anonymous sources in Brussels.
The Estonian Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, is set to become the new foreign policy commissioner, replacing Spain's Josep Borrell, while former Portuguese PM Antonio Costo will preside over the European Council, previously chaired by Belgium's Charles Michel, according to a deal between the three main blocs in the EU Parliament.
During a six-member conference via video call, Polish PM Donald Tusk and Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke on behalf of the center-right European People’s Party (EPP), German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez spoke on behalf of the Socialists & Democrats (S&D), and French President Emmanuel Macron and caretaker Dutch PM Mark Rutte spoke for Renew Europe.
Read next: Macron wants von der Leyen replaced: Bloomberg
Euronews described the process as a "horse-trading game to ensure a political, geographical, and gender balance."
While the three factions have enough votes to get the arrangement approved in the European Council, some leaders of EU member states have publicly criticized it.
Criticism over the deal
Hungarian PM Viktor Orban criticized the reported deal in a post on X on Tuesday. “The deal that the EPP made with the leftists and the liberals runs against everything that the EU was based on,” he insisted.
“Instead of inclusion, it sows the seeds of division. EU top officials should represent every member state, not just leftists and liberals!”
Orban criticized the deal, arguing that it disregards the will of the people as reflected in the results of recent EU parliamentary elections, where both the Socialists and the Liberals saw losses. He accused the EPP of making a deal with parties that were defeated, rather than listening to voters. Orban further stated last week that the agreement aims to "continue to support migration and send even more money and weapons to the Russia-Ukraine war."
Italian PM Giorgia Meloni has expressed displeasure with the EPP deal. However, diplomats have informed Euronews that von der Leyen might attempt to gain Meloni's support by offering Italy "a powerful post in the Commission."
EU national leaders are anticipated to approve the arrangement at Thursday’s summit in Brussels, but the appointments of von der Leyen and Kallas will still require approval from the European Parliament.
