Following the European elections, a consensus quickly emerged around the German von der Leyen for a second term as president of the European Commission, the Portuguese António Costa for the presidency of the European Council, the Malta Roberta Metsola at the head of the European Parliament and the Estonian Kaja Kallas at the head of foreign policy. .
Expectations were high as 27 heads of state and government gathered in Brussels hoping to divvy up the bloc’s four top posts between the current coalition of the center-right European People’s Party, Socialists and liberals.
After Macron’s party was defeated by the far right in the election, his decision to dissolve the French parliament and call early elections apparently accelerated discussions over the top posts. Negotiations usually take weeks.
In recent weeks, other European leaders have also stressed the need for continuity given Russia’s war in Ukraine and the potential return of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
But hopes for a quick deal evaporated on Monday evening when the European People’s Party, winner of the European Parliament elections, demanded more concessions and more power among the top posts. As expected, the EPP wanted to reappoint von der Leyen and Metsola, who both belong to the political family. Furthermore, the EPP proposed to the Socialists that the mandate of the President of the European Council be divided into two 2.5-year tranches – and the EPP would get one of them.
This angered the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), who had hoped to win Costa’s job. And soon after negotiations stopped, the blame game began.
News Source : www.politico.eu
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