Intense background in Brussels, just a few days earlier than the European elections on June 9.
In keeping with Politico, the president of the European Council Charles Michel attempting to neutralize her Ursula von der Leyen. The web site cites eight EU diplomats, officers from Brussels and nationwide governments, who stated that Charles Michel is attempting to thwart a attainable second time period for Ursula von der Leyen on the head of the Fee.
“His sport is so apparent: to make von der Leyen stumble and dream of his personal high job,” stated one EU official, who spoke on situation of anonymity.
Energy wrestle within the background
Within the background, the ability wrestle between the 2 high European Union officers performed out with canceled lunches and strategically worded off-the-record statements from one facet to the opposite. The tense dynamic grew to become public throughout the duo’s go to to Ankara in 2021, famously referred to as Sofagate. Charles Michel grabbed the one accessible chair subsequent to him Recep Tayyip Erdogan and von der Leyen remained relegated to a close-by couch. Later, she herself made complaints regarding sexism within the European Parliament.
Some have speculated that Charles Michel is vying for the function of EU Excessive Consultant for International Affairs, succeeding Joseph Borel, with whom he has a very good relationship. His technique might be to sideline the heads of state and authorities as he tries to have tete-a-tete quite than all-in-one talks, as such offers are historically finished, among the eight diplomats and officers stated.
To complicate issues much more, Charles Michel presides over the method for the distribution of the highest positions of the establishments, which can happen following the European elections, together with the choice for the president of the Fee.
“Private Revenge Agenda”
“He’s not a candidate. Because the president has acknowledged many occasions, he’s and might be absolutely centered on his work as president of the European Council and on unifying the European Council to succeed in significant selections,” stated his spokeswoman Ekaterina Kazinge.
In current weeks, some European nations have change into nervous regarding Michel’s actual agenda. “Many member states are involved that Charles Michel is not going to play a constructive function however will pursue a private agenda of revenge,” stated one EU diplomat, reflecting the temper amongst a lot of their colleagues.
Some imagine that Charles Michel is utilizing the chance to steer an settlement between the “27” heads of state and authorities on the selection of individuals to fill the establishments as a time for revenge.
Von der Leyen’s candidacy
On paper, the 65-year-old von der Leyen is the candidate for the presidency of the European Fee. Since taking over the publish in 2019, her status as a disaster administration chief has risen throughout the pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As an alternative, Charles Michel grew to become the recipient of grumbling, criticism and mock. His shock resolution to stop his publish early to run for the European Parliament, earlier than rapidly backing down, elevated the European bloc’s uneasiness towards him.
Von der Leyen is working with the European Individuals’s Occasion, which is main within the polls, and it’s exhausting to see which different candidate has an opportunity of unseating her.
In concept, the plain play might be for Charles Michel to try a fast deal on high EU jobs, securing a second time period for von der Leyen.
Nevertheless, based on Politico, Charles Michel reportedly has one other agenda, which incorporates rise up and extra energy. “She sees the comparability with von der Leyen as essentially mistaken and unfair,” stated one other EU diplomat. Von der Leyen’s group declined to remark.
His time period ends on December 1
Charles Michel’s time period expires on 1 December and can’t be renewed. Nevertheless, the previous Belgian prime minister doesn’t appear to have an exit technique. “So why not run for an additional high-profile function at EU degree?” writes the publication.
In spite of everything, Charles Michel will discover a number of deniers of von der Leyen, able to assault within the days earlier than the European elections. In Brussels, there was a response towards the authority of the president of the Fee, who’s accused of a centralized management fashion. France, whose President Emmanuel Macron is among the many most vital voices on the leaders’ desk, has signaled his help with reservations, probably to extract concessions or as a chance to reshape the scheme.
Within the European Parliament, the Socialists and Liberals, who’re a part of von der Leyen’s EPP coalition, are more and more attacking her potential cooperation with right-wing leaders and events.
One of many EU diplomats stated all of it comes right down to “me, me and me” with Charles Michel.
Charles Michel’s odds
On the identical time, diplomats who stated Charles Michel desires revenge dismissed the potential of him taking one other publish, contemplating it an unlikely state of affairs. As they reported, Charles Michel would don’t have any likelihood.
In keeping with protothema, the identical diplomats estimate that the 27 EU leaders will bypass Charles Michel as a lot as attainable within the debate on Europe’s high jobs, throughout their conferences in Brussels on June 17 and June 27-28.
One other EU diplomat even referred sarcastically to a phrase Michel’s chief of workers generally makes use of to chase a proposal from EU member states: “There is no such thing as a urge for food amongst EU leaders for this state of affairs.”
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