EU leaders came together to determine the top leaders of the union

Leaders of European Union (EU) member states informally gathered to determine the top leaders of the union following the European Parliament elections. The government and state leaders of the 27 EU member countries came together in a informal leaders summit held in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, to select the leaders who will guide the union for the next five years. Following the European Parliament elections held between 6-9 June, EU leaders, who gathered for the first time, will seek consensus on the names to be elected for the positions of President of the European Council, President of the European Commission, and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. It is expected that Ursula von der Leyen will be re-elected for a second term as President of the European Commission, a position she has held since 2019. For the other two top positions in the management of the Union, Antonio Costa, former Prime Minister of Portugal, is mentioned for the Presidency of the European Council, and Kaja Kallas, the Prime Minister of Estonia, is mentioned for the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The new President of the European Parliament will be elected by the parliament, not the leaders. It is expected that the current President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, will be re-elected. While it is expected that the leaders will make their official decisions at the summit to be held on 27-28 June, many leaders indicated that an agreement for the new administration began to take shape in Brussels. Many leaders who attended the summit expressed their support for Von der Leyen’s candidacy in their statements before the meeting. Among them, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said, “I am sure Ursula von der Leyen will be elected.” Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris stated, “I have not heard of another name being mentioned at this stage.” Slovak President Peter Pellegrini announced that they will nominate Slovak politician Maros Sefcovic for the Commission Presidency. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz demanded quick decisions on this matter, stating, “I am sure we can reach an agreement as soon as possible.” Von der Leyen will need the support of 15 out of the 27 EU member countries for her re-election. After the leaders determine their official preferences, this preference will also need to be approved by the European Parliament. It is expected that the EU leaders will also discuss the union’s agenda for the next five years this evening.