The EPP demands more power in the EU after its electoral victory and complicates the distribution of senior positions

The novel claim of the Christian Democrats, raised at the last minute, complicates the agreement to renew the community leadership. The heads of State and Government of the 27 are holding a working dinner at this time to begin discussing the distribution of senior positions and had set themselves the goal of achieving a quick solution. All the sources consulted assure that in any case the agreement “is close.”

The negotiators of the different political families have held previous restricted meetings to try to bring positions closer together. Pedro Sanchez and the German Olaf Scholz represent the socialists; while the Polish Donald Tusk and the greek Kyriakos Mitsotakis They act as popular spokespersons; and the french Emmanuel Macron and the dutch Mark Rutte They act in the name of liberals.

[Von der Leyen, Costa y Kallas: 3 piezas que encajan para el sudoku de los altos cargos de la UE]

At the moment, no one questions the four favorites for the new EU leadership. Ursula von der Leyen he would repeat a second term at the head of the European Commission; former portuguese prime minister Antonio Costa he would stay with the presidency of the European Council; and the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, will replace Josep Borrell as High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The popular Maltese Roberta Metsola He will continue two and a half more years at the head of the European Parliament.

According to the Treaty, the position of president of the European Council elected for a term of two and a half years, which can be renewed only once. Despite this, all the holders of this position until now (Herman van Rompuy, Donald Tusk and Charles Michel) have had five-year terms, with almost automatic renewal. The EPP now demands to end this custom and split the mandate in two, according to diplomatic sources. The first half would belong to Costa and the other half would go to a popular leader, who at the moment has no name.

The popular ones allege that they are underrepresented in senior EU positions and they boast their resounding victory in the European elections. Elections in which they obtained 190 of the 720 seats at stake, compared to 136 for the socialists and 80 for the liberals. They give as an example that the presidency of the European Investment Bank (EIB) the socialists have kept it with Nadia Calvinowhile the next NATO Secretary General will probably be Mark Ruttea liberal.

The European socialists interpret that the EPP’s request to occupy the presidency of the European Council during the second half of the mandate responds to a maximum trading strategy. Sánchez and Scholz do not agree to limit Costa’s mandate in advance and reply that the popular ones also control other prominent positions such as the presidency of the European Central Bank (with Christine Lagarde) or the direction of the International Monetary Fund (with Kristalina Georgieva).

Socialists and liberals maintain that although the EPP has won the elections, The distribution of senior positions must have the support of the ‘grand coalition’ to get ahead. And to do this it needs to respect the balance between the different political families, in addition to the geographical and gender balance.

“It is important that this be decided quickly. Because we live in difficult times and it is necessary to know what is going to happen from now on in Europe,” said Chancellor Scholz upon his arrival at the meeting.

“We are still in the middle of a war in Europe. We have many challenges ahead, especially in immigration matters and climate change. And we still need a stronger and more socially balanced Europe in the future. With all these challenges, I think it is important that we make a decision as soon as possible,” he defended. Mette Frederiksen. The Danish prime minister has been ruled out as an alternative to Costa for the presidency of the European Council (her name was in the pools.

For his part, the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Ruttehas been convinced that Von der Leyen will achieve a second term. “He has done an incredible job. If we take the coronavirus crisis as an example, she demonstrated her leadership capacity. But also now with Ukraine and all the other issues she’s been involved in.”

Despite being the PP negotiator, Tusk has announced that he will support the liberal Kaja Kallas as the new head of community diplomacy. “She understands the Ukrainian and Russian realities very well and represents the position that Poland would take.” The Polish Prime Minister has also asked for clarifications about the “legal context” of Costa, who had to resign last fall when her name appeared in a corruption scandal. Although it has not been closed, the case has been deflated and the former Portuguese prime minister is not accused of anything.

The Spanish delegation has reiterated its full support for Costa for the presidency of the European Council. In addition to the socialist family, he will represent the southern countries. “Because of his personality and experience he could do a great job”explain government sources.

The sources consulted downplay the importance of this Monday’s meeting ending in failure. From the beginning it had been planned as a simple contact, although since the names are so clear it was thought that it would be possible to close the new EU leadership now. In any case, the deadline is the European Council scheduled for June 27 and 28.