The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, announced that he is withdrawing from the elections for MEPs in June and will remain in his current post until the end of the mandate in November. This was reported by Belgian media, quoted by BTA.
Michel says he is bitter and surprised by the reactions to his decision to lead his Reform Movement party’s list for the European Parliament elections.
“I would not like the contradictions to distract us from the essence and affect the institution I lead,” he adds.
Michel announced earlier this month that he planned to resign ahead of the swearing-in of newly elected MEPs in July, with his term ending in November. This opened up the possibility that the leadership of the European Council could be taken over temporarily by the country holding the EU Council presidency, and in July it would be Hungary’s turn, which meant that the European Council could be headed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has remained isolated in the EU on issues of the rule of law and support for Ukraine.
Michel had expressed the expectation that the European Council would be able to choose his successor in time, so that Orbán would not have to stand at the head of the institution.
A volley of criticism from MPs, political analysts and the media followed. MEPs even called on Michel to resign now as President of the European Council.
The EU president was accused of “dishonoring” the most important post in the EU. Deputies from the Ecolo group in the Belgian Federal Parliament accused him of harming Belgium’s international image. Alberto Alemanno, professor of EU law in Paris, defined Michel’s decision as “self-centered and irresponsible”, because with his action, Michel can open the doors wide to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán – Hungary will head the EU Council from July.
Alemanno said the EU had been weakened by the misunderstandings between Michel and von der Leyen.
Michel himself missed appearing in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on January 16, where he was supposed to report the outcome of the meeting of the heads of state and government of the EU countries in December. The reason – a doctor’s recommendation after cramping.
2024-01-26 20:13:49
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