Despite the agreement, the decision will not be made official until the 27 leaders meet at a summit later this week.
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The six leaders of the European Union who act as negotiators for the main centrist parties have sealed an agreementpreliminary agreement to distribute senior positions of the bloc after the European elections in June.
The news was advanced by the German agency ‘DPA’ and has just been confirmed ‘Euronews’ through diplomatic sources.
The agreement maintains the three candidates that had been initially discussed: Ursula von der Leyen to occupy the presidency of the European Comission, Antonio Costa the presidency of the European Council and Kaja Kallas to high representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
How are senior EU officials elected?
These appointments had already been considered last week during an informal meeting of EU leaders, but the appointments have been finalized in a call in which the Polish leader was Donald Tuskthe Greek Kyriakos Mitsotakisthe German Olaf Scholzthe Spanish Pedro Sanchezthe French Emmanuel Macron and the Dutch Mark Rutte.
Tusk and Mitsotakis represent the center-right European People’s Party (EPP); Sholz and Pedro Sanchezthe Socialists and Democrats (S&D); and Macron and Rutte, the liberal family of Renew Europe. The three major parties are expected to work together and build a lasting coalition that can sustain Von der Leyen’s second term.
“The negotiators of the three political groups have reached consensus on a common position of agreement“said a diplomat when confirming the names.
When will positions be officially appointed?
The selection of senior officials has to be ratified by the 27 leaders at a summit at the end of this week, in which they will also approve the Strategic Agenda for the next five years.
The Italian Giorgia Melonithe Czech Peter Fiala and the hungarian Viktor Orbánall of them outside the centrist coalition, have previously complained about the way the three families were negotiating for senior positions.
“It goes against everything the EU was based on”
“The agreement that the EPP has reached with the leftists and the liberals is going against everything the EU was based on. Instead of inclusion, it sows division,” Orbán said Tuesday, doubling down on his complaints.
The decision is made by qualified majority, which means that national vetoes do not apply. Still, Meloni’s weight in the European Council could be a factor in the face-to-face negotiations on Thursday and delay the final announcement.
If they are finally appointed, Von der Leyen and Kallas will still have to undergo a hearing in the European Parliament, while Costa, former Prime Minister of Portugalwill be automatically elected by their former counterparts.
At an informal meeting last week, the EPP took the socialists by surprise whenor demanded to have the presidency of the European Council after Costa completes a two-and-a-half-year term.
‘Euronews’ understands that this demand has now been taken off the tablepaving the way for the Portuguese socialist to lead the institution for five years.
