Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán can temporarily head the European Council if the current president, Charles Michel, resigns.
Orban can temporarily head the Eurocouncil
The publication notes that if Michel resigns in July, EU leaders must quickly agree on his successor's candidacy. If they cannot reach an agreement, the presidency will go to Orbán, as Hungary will hold the EU Council presidency from July 2024 until December.
Politico emphasizes that this is the first time the current President of the European Council will take part in the elections to the European Parliament and the first time he leaves office early.
Charles Michel was supposed to remain in office until November 2024. His decision to leave early puts additional pressure on European leaders, who will now have to decide who will lead the central European institutions in less time.
After the elections to the European Parliament, which will be held on June 6-9 in all 27 EU countries, the leaders of the European Union will meet on June 17 and then on June 27-28. It is likely then that they will discuss the candidacy of Michel's successor.
What preceded it
In an interview with the Belgian mass media, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, stated that he intends to participate in the European Parliament elections. This assumes that Michel will leave the President of the EU Council post early.
48-year-old Michel is a former Prime Minister of Belgium and, since the end of 2019, has held the position of Chairman of the Council of the EU.
