The “white smoke” came out after marathon discussions in Brussels, where it was announced shortly after midnight at the summit that the 27 nations had reached an agreement on Costa, Kallas and von der Leyen.
According to Politico, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni abstained from voting to choose the President of the European Commission, while she wanted to vote against Kaia Callas and Antonio Costa.
The European Council approved the people proposed by the three political groups (European People’s Party, Socialists and Liberals) who would hold the three top positions in the EU.
Ursula von der Leyen, Kallas and Costa ‘trapped’ in top European offices
Ursula von der Leyen takes over as President of the European Commission for another five years. Former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, of the Social Democratic Party, is set to become the next president of the European Council for a renewable two-and-a-half-year term. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, a Liberal, is set to become the next EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy for a five-year term.
People were approved by a qualified majority (including at least 21 countries representing 65% of the European population).
Immediately, European leaders first gave the green light to the nominations of Antonio Costa and Kaya Kallas. Ursula von der Leyen’s candidacy was finally approved.
The discussion and voting for the higher offices lasted about an hour and a half.
The Estonian Prime Minister, due to her candidacy, and Ursula von der Leyen left the room.
According to diplomatic sources, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni voted against the nomination of Kaya Callas and Antonio Costa, while she chose to abstain from voting on the nomination of Ursula von der Leyen. During Ursula von der Leyen’s second term as head of the Commission, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban voted, while abstention was his choice in voting for Kaya Kallas’ nomination.
After approval by the European Council, Ursula von der Leyen’s nomination will have to go through a vote in the European Parliament, which will likely take place on July 18, at the first plenary session of the new European Parliament, in Strasbourg. Approval requires an absolute majority, i.e. at least 361 votes out of a total of 720 members of the European Parliament.
Earlier, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced on Twitter his support for the trio of von der Leyen, Costa and Kallas, noting that their candidates meet the political and geographical criteria for balance. He also shared his positive experience working with them, which is important because the Czech Republic belongs to the European Conservatives and Reformists party led by Meloni.
Earlier, France and Germany surprised… the leaders of other countries in Brussels. In their document, as the discussion on the strategic agenda began, they jointly requested a wide range of amendments to it for the next five years.
According to Politico, it is a document prepared by Charles Michel months ago and discussed among officials of European Union countries.
However, the move “angered other EU leaders” because it was a last-minute initiative by the two countries, apparently without informing the rest.
The mood was not particularly good after that, two diplomatic sources told the site, shortly before the conversation turned to the question of the three people who would hold the highest positions in Europe.
What changes do Paris and Berlin want in the strategic agenda?
Paris and Berlin, together with Michel, have proposed a series of changes to the agenda of issues of concern to the European Union over the next five years.
Mr. Mitsotakis: Good evening Europe – we have many challenges ahead of us, and we must face them together.
Mitsotakis’ intervention at the summit: There is an indisputable need to modernize the EU’s defenses, nothing less
The most important points that the two countries would like to add are the following:
for climate policy: “To further implement and further develop the Green Deal.”
For defense: “A stronger and more capable European Union in the field of security and defense will contribute positively to global and transatlantic security and is complementary to NATO, which remains the basis of the collective defense of its members.”
Competition Policy“We need to review European competition rules and practices and allow joint ventures and consolidation in key sectors to enhance European resilience.”
About expansion: “The European Union stresses the need to lay the foundations and internal reforms necessary to achieve the Union’s long-term ambitions and address the main issues related to its priorities and policies, as well as its ability to act in the face of the new geopolitical reality and the challenges it faces.” Increasingly complex challenges.”
At the same time, the two countries want to delete the paragraph on defence: “major defence projects and initiatives of common interest across the EU”.
Meloni upset and Orban angry
Earlier, the leaders of the 27 countries discussed issues of Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as rivalry, without any particular disagreements.
The burning issue is the people who will occupy the three major positions, which sparked reactions from Meloni, but also from Viktor Orbán, but for different reasons.
The Italian prime minister was angry that the Conservative Party was not invited to the negotiations and Italian media reported that she was considering not taking part in the final discussions, but wanted to support von der Leyen for the presidency of the Commission.
Instead, he wants to ban the presence of Costa and Kallas in the other two important offices.
However, in the European People’s Party, an attempt has been made since noon to reach out to Meloni, in order to obtain her support and soften her tone.
For his part, Orban indicated that he clearly opposes all options, and attacked the European People’s Party, the Social Democrats and the Liberals, saying that they “deceived” European citizens, stressing that it was a “shameful deal.”
As ERT reports, Le Pen and the 30 MEPs, together with Meloni’s European Group, have the power to prevent the ratification of von der Leyen and her commissioners in the European Parliament, thus sabotaging the choices of the heads of state of the European Council. But Meloni is in a difficult position, as in the case of Leyen she is not passive, quite the opposite.
Mitsotakis intervened in the defense debate
Earlier, Kyriakos Mitsotakis intervened in the defense discussion. The Prime Minister stressed that “the need to raise the level of the European Union’s defense capabilities cannot be denied.”
He also stressed that “we are at a time when Europe must do more in this area, developing and financing the European defense industry and not relying on third parties. Anything less sends the wrong message.”
According to the media covering developments in Brussels, Macron played the role of “the mediator with the compromise proposal” in the defense debate.
Meanwhile, Germany and the Netherlands strongly opposed the possibility of joint borrowing from the EU (an option that, according to one diplomat, had not been explicitly mentioned in the room, except for Josep Borrell).
Conclusions on the Middle East and reference to Cyprus
Meanwhile, the European Council’s conclusions on the Middle East include a reference to member states under threat, following messages launched by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah against Cyprus.
In particular, it is noted that “the European Council condemns in the strongest possible way any threat against EU Member States that contributes to escalation and reaffirms its solidarity with EU Member States”.
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