(Finance) – The “package” Ursula von der Leyen to the Commission, Antonio Costa to the European Council e Kaja Kallas as High Representative, “he is stable” and “there are no other names” in view of the agreement expected at the next EU summit on Thursday and Friday. Diplomatic sources underlined this on the sidelines of the General Affairs Council underway in Luxembourg.
“The agreement came after a video call between the six negotiators for the top EU jobs: Donald Tusk and Kyriakos Mitsotakis for the EPP, Pedro Sanchez and Olaf Scholz for the Socialists, Emmanuel Macron and Mark Rutte for the Liberals”, European diplomatic sources say. During the meeting, the six leaders confirmed their support for Ursula von der Leyen, Antonio Costa and Kaja Kallas, “in accordance with the EU Treaties”, explain the sources. The agreement – it is underlined – must be ratified at the European Council on Thursday and Friday by the 27 heads of state and government.
Ursula von der Leyen will negotiate directly with Giorgia Meloni for the future EU majority, not as leader of the EU Conservatives but as Italian Prime Minister, to decide what the portfolio reserved for Italy will be in the next European Commission. This is what various international media have announced after the agreement that emerged on the top EU jobs between the People’s Party, Socialists and Liberals.
The EPP has accepted that Antonio Costa will lead the European Council for the first two and a half yearswith a decision on the possible extension sent back to leaders.
The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on social media: “The agreement that the European People’s Party has made with the Left and the Liberals it goes against everything the EU is founded on. Instead of inclusion, division is sown. Senior EU officials should represent all member states, not just the left and liberals.”
“Appointments are not the only relevant topic on the agenda of the European Council: for us it is a lot It is important that a clear message on the issues comes out of the Summit crucial for us such as the competitiveness of the European economy, defence, migration and the strategic agenda as well as, obviously, foreign policy issues such as Ukraine and the Middle East on which much progress has been made thanks to the recent Summit of G7 chaired by President Meloni”. Thus the Minister for European Affairs, the South, Cohesion Policies and the Pnrr, Raffaele Fitto in a note at the end of the General Affairs Council.
THE EU socialists have confirmed Iratxe Garcia Perez as president of the S&D group in the European Parliament, with a decision taken by acclamation in Brussels.
Valérie Hayer was re-elected by acclamation as group leader of the Renew liberals, after the withdrawal of the Portuguese candidate Joao Cotrim de Figueiredo.
“We wait until Thursday to see if the Council will ratify this agreement. For us it is important to insist that we support itbut we underline that this agreement is not a blank check, we will negotiate on our priorities.” socialist group leader Iratxe Garcia Perez speaking to the press after his re-election as group leader of the EU Socialists.