Conservatives Sought Expanded Influence at EU Summit
Conservative leaders from various states and administrations are allegedly pushing for preferential treatment in securing high-profile positions, beyond the initial announcements. They're said to be eyeing the Commission presidency and the EU Council Presidency for at least half of the five-year term.
Social Democrats are vying for the same positions, backing ex-Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, who stepped down in November amid corruption charges which he asserts are baseless. According to Politico, the conservative Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic is optimistic about grabbing the position.
Following the European elections, the European People's Party, led by the CDU and CSU, emerged as the clear winner. The Social Democrats trail behind, while the Liberals suffered severe losses, placing them as the third most influential force.
The scheduled summit faced a delay because, as per diplomats, six state and government heads were initially in negotiations for an agreement. Apart from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez representing the Social Democrats, the Prime Ministers of Poland and Greece, Mateusz Morawiecki and Kyriakos Mitsotakis, represented the conservative bloc. The Liberals had French President Emmanuel Macron and outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in negotiations, reported the diplomats.
Scholz had expressed optimism for an agreement to be reached "as soon as possible" before the negotiations. Some diplomats speculated that the summit could wrap up by 9 pm, given the upcoming football match between France and Austria at the European Championship.
Beyond the Commission presidency, the EU Council Presidency, and the EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell's succession, the summit is dealing with other matters. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas is said to be in discussions for the EU Foreign Policy Chief position, given her strong support for Ukraine in the EU.
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- Ursula von der Leyen, currently serving as the EU Commission President, is closely monitoring the Conservative leaders' push for expanded influence at the EU special summit.
- The delay in the EU special summit was partly due to the negotiations between conservative leaders like Charles Michel and Olaf Scholz, aiming to secure high-profile positions beyond the initial announcements.
- Despite the Conservative leaders' ambitions, António Costa, backed by the Social Democrats, remains a strong contender for the Commission presidency, despite the corruption charges he faced during the European elections.
- At the EU special summit, discussions are also focusing on the succession of EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell, with conservative leader António Costa and liberal Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas among the frontrunners.
- Amid the EU special summit, the influence of Ursula von der Leyen and other key figures like Charles Michel and Olaf Scholz remains crucial, as delaying or denying the conservative leaders' demands could significantly impact the EU's political landscape.
