Image supply, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
- Author, Bethany Bell
- Role, BBC News, in Brussels
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EU leaders have nominated present European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen for a second five-year time period in the bloc’s top job at a summit in Brussels.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas was picked because the EU’s subsequent overseas affairs chief and former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa was chosen as the following chairman of EU summits.
All three candidates are from centrist, pro-EU factions.
The European Parliament is due to vote on the nominations for Ms von der Leyen and Ms Kallas.
Ms von der Leyen is from Germany’s centre-right, Mr Costa is a socialist and Ms Kallas a liberal.
The management package deal represents continuity for the EU at a time of geopolitical uncertainty. It comes regardless of a surge in assist for hard-right events in the European Parliament elections earlier this month.
But there was resistance from Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni.
Before the summit she mentioned the plans ignored the successes of hard-right events like her personal in the current elections for the European Parliament.
Ms Meloni has labored on cultivating a constructive relationship with the EU political mainstream, however she abstained from the vote for Ms von der Leyen and voted in opposition to Mr Costa and Ms Kallas.
Ms Meloni, who heads the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) bloc in the European Parliament, was notably not included in talks on the nominations although the ECR grew to become the third largest group in the parliament following the European elections.
Addressing the Italian parliament on Wednesday, she mentioned angrily that European voters had requested the EU to “take a different path to the one it has travelled on so far”.
Without naming names, she criticised “those who argue that citizens are not mature enough to take certain decisions, and [who believe] that oligarchy is essentially the only acceptable form of democracy”.
Approval from the European Parliament might be a trickier problem.
Ms von der Leyen wants 361 votes in order to be confirmed for a second time period. Theoretically, assist from the centre-right European People’s Party, liberals and social democrats would give her sufficient assist. But it’s a tight margin.
Diplomats say Ms von der Leyen could search to win Ms Meloni’s backing by giving Italy a robust put up in the fee.
“I would plain and simply like to express my gratitude to the leaders who endorsed my nomination for second mandate as president of the European Commission,” mentioned Ms von der Leyen.
If she is permitted by the European Parliament, one in all her important duties can be to see how Brussels can maintain supporting Ukraine in its combat in opposition to Russia – one thing that might be sophisticated if Donald Trump wins November’s presidential election in the US.
Ms Kallas can also be a powerful supporter of Ukraine and a hawkish critic of the Kremlin and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.
Moscow put her on an inventory of wished criminals after her authorities eliminated Soviet-era warfare monuments.
Some critics have expressed concern that her uncompromising stance might be a hindrance in her new position because the EU’s top diplomat – each externally and inside the bloc itself.
Ms Kallas mentioned she was “really honoured by the support” and described the position as an “enormous responsibility”.
“My aim is definitely to work for European unity, protect European interests.”
Mr Costa praised Ms Kallas and Ms von der Leyen, saying: “I’m sure our collaboration will be very successful to serve Europe and European citizens.”
“Europe and the world are facing challenging moments, yes,” he mentioned after his nomination.
“But the European Union has demonstrated its resilience in the past, always finding strengths in the unity, and building unity between member states will be my main priority when I take up my position in December focused on putting on track the strategic agenda which European Council has approved today.”
