EU heads collect to debate new management in wake of far-right election successes – Europe reside

Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni held talks forward of the summit.

Manfred Weber, chief of the centre-right European Individuals’s get together, has careworn that the get together is lining up behind Ursula von der Leyen for a second time period as European Fee president.

Donald Tusk mentioned he’s “very satisfied with the current cooperation with the president of the European Commission, as she fully understands the fundamental issues for Poland.”

Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, has endorsed Kaja Kallas, who’s a contender to turn out to be the bloc’s subsequent excessive consultant for overseas affairs.

Who’s Ursula von der Leyen?

Jennifer Rankin

Ursula von der Leyen was the primary lady to steer the European Fee in its 62-year historical past when she was appointed in 2019.

A protracted-time ally of former German chancellor Angela Merkel, von der Leyen was no person’s first selection and scraped by a affirmation vote within the European parliament with solely 9 votes to spare.

Forward of her time period, she described essentially the most urgent problem as “keeping our planet healthy” however was quickly confronted with a once-in-a century pandemic and the largest conflict on European soil since 1945.

After a stumbling begin on Covid-19, she received plaudits for her response to coronavirus and the conflict in Ukraine, steering by widespread borrowing and 13 rounds (to date) of financial sanctions in opposition to Russia.

However she has confronted criticism for failing to seek the advice of with senior colleagues on massive choices and allegations of evading scrutiny.

Born in Brussels, von der Leyen was the daughter of a senior Fee official and went on to qualify as a medical physician, earlier than finally coming into politics in her native Germany for the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) get together.

With a popularity as a workaholic, she is understood for dwelling in her workplace – a spartan 20 m sq room on the thirteenth ground of the fee’s Berlaymont headquarters.

If she is confirmed, von der Leyen could be anticipated to suggest efforts to spice up the EU’s widespread defence funding and co-operation, in addition to an EU construction to fight overseas interference.

She will even be tasked with guaranteeing implementation of the Inexperienced Deal at a time of populist assaults on environmental insurance policies.

Kaja Kallas, Estonia’s 46-year previous prime minister, is the favorite to turn out to be the EU’s subsequent overseas coverage chief.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kallas has turn out to be a well-known face on the European stage, partially by her very frequent appearances in worldwide media.

She has passionately advocated for better assist for Kyiv and for Europe to speculate extra in its personal defences, turning into one of many best-known political figures from the EU’s jap member states. In February, Moscow put her on a wished record.

A liberal, Kallas belongs to Estonia’s Reform get together – a member of the Renew Europe group – and has been serving as prime minister since 2021.

However regardless of her reputation amongst her colleagues overseas, Kallas’ get together hasn’t been performing strongly at dwelling. Within the European elections, it got here in third place in Estonia, with 17.9%.

And final 12 months, she got here below strain when stories emerged that her husband part-owned a logistics firm that continued to do enterprise in Russia – a scandal she dismissed as political opportunism by her rivals.

Over the previous months, Kallas’ title has been floated for a lot of worldwide roles. She was thought of too hawkish to win assist to steer Nato, however it now seems that fellow leaders are open to her taking up a number one function on the subject of EU overseas coverage.

A lawyer by occupation, Kallas has specialised in European and Estonian competitors legislation. She was first elected to Estonia’s parliament in 2011 and later additionally served as a member of the European parliament.

Like Ursula von der Leyen, Kallas comes from a political household. Her father, Siim Kallas, served as Estonia’s prime minister in 2002-2003 and spent a decade as a European commissioner. She is the mom of 1 baby.

Poland needs a Europe that’s decisive and powerful in issues of safety, migration, rule of legislation and defence, the Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, mentioned on social media forward of the summit.

Warsaw is able to finance these wants, he mentioned, underscoring that that is what voters need and these can be his priorities within the negotiations which can be simply beginning.

Leaders from the centre-right European Individuals’s get together are assembly in Brussels, forward of a gathering this night of the bloc’s 27 heads of state and authorities.

Hungary’s Viktor Orbán has arrived on the Amigo lodge in Brussels, the place he was anticipated to satisfy with Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, Ansa stories.

Orbán’s ruling Fidesz get together has repeatedly signalled that it needs to hitch Meloni’s European political household, the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR).

Forward of the summit, leaders are assembly bilaterally and in small teams.

Latvia’s prime minister, Evika Siliņa, mentioned Ursula von der Leyen has her “full support” for a second time period as European Fee president.

Ursula von der Leyen on monitor to maintain job after EU elections enhance

Jennifer Rankin

Ursula von der Leyen is on monitor to stay for a second time period as president of the European Fee, as EU leaders meet this night for a primary dialogue on divvying up the bloc’s high jobs.

The EU’s 27 heads of state and authorities will collect for dinner in Brussels of their first group assembly since European elections final week boosted nationalist and far-right events and triggered Emmanuel Macron to name snap elections in France.

At stake is whether or not von der Leyen receives a second five-year time period as head of the fee, which initiates and enforces EU legislation. EU leaders will even determine on successors to Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, and Josep Borrell, the EU’s high diplomat.

Von der Leyen has lengthy been the clear frontrunner. Because the lead candidate for the centre-right European Individuals’s get together, which would be the largest group within the new European parliament with 26% of the seats, her place has been strengthened by the Europe-wide vote.

Consensus can be firming round Portugal’s Socialist former prime minister António Costa to take over from Michel in chairing EU Council conferences.

Estonia’s prime minister, Kaja Kallas, is a favorite to take over from Borrell because the EU’s chief diplomat.

Learn the total story right here.

Good afternoon and welcome to a particular version of the Europe weblog, coming to you from the casual European Council summit in Brussels.

The EU’s 27 heads of state and authorities can be gathering for talks this night.

On the menu: now that the EU elections are over, the leaders can be discussing how you can divide the bloc’s high jobs – specifically the roles of European Fee president, European Council president and excessive consultant for overseas affairs.

Keep tuned and ship your feedback and tricks to lili.bayer@theguardian.com.