The European Council officially decided on the candidates for top positions in the European Union for the next five years.
Points of attention
- Ursula von der Leyen was confirmed for a second term as the head of the European Commission
- Antonio Costu can become the President of the European Council, and Kaya Callas - the EU High Representative for Security and Foreign Policy
- This is the first time that a candidate from Eastern Europe has been nominated for the post of EU High Representative
- The European Parliament has to vote for these candidates
EU Council has officially elected candidates for EU top positions
Thus, the heads of state of the European Union agreed on the candidacy of Ursula von der Leyen for the second term as the head of the European Commission.
Antonio Costa, the former Prime Minister of Portugal, is proposed to be appointed President of the European Council.
The head of the diplomatic service of the EU, the High Representative of the EU for security and foreign policy, may become the prime minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas. This is the first time in the EU's history that a candidate from Eastern Europe has been appointed to this position.
The European Parliament has yet to vote on their candidacies.
At least 20 of the 27 member states (72%), which represent at least 65% of the European Union's population, must vote for the proposal.
What has preceded it
Several far-right European leaders, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán, opposed the nominations.
Meloni stated that the arrangements do not take into account the will of EU citizens "who are calling for a more concrete, less ideological Europe". Orban called the agreement of three political groups in the European Parliament — "European People's Party", "Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats" and liberals — "a coalition of lies and deception"
