Behind the scenes in Brussels for the Presidency of the Commission and the European Parliament with the Economist and Politico seeing Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Pedro Sanchez in the leadership of the EU in different posts.
THE Economist sees Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the helm of the European Commission and the Politico the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to the leadership of the European Parliament.
In particular, the name of Kyriakos Mitsotakis as one of the candidates who could replace Ursula von der Leyen at the helm of the European Commission, although he himself has denied it, refers to Economist.
As the magazine writes in today’s issue: “The situation will lead to a stalemate if the candidate proposed by the leaders fails to secure a majority in parliament. If not von der Leyen, then who?
Mario Draghi, Italy’s former prime minister, will soon release a report on the future of the European economy that is likely to dovetail with Macron’s federalist vision and impress MEPs looking for a strong figure.
But he is 76 years old and has played no role in the election campaign for the European elections.
Others on the Center Right, such as Kyriakos Mitsotakis, would face similar questions to those faced by the outgoing president. That’s why Ursula von der Leyen still has the best chance. But the road to a second term is likely to face many problems.”
“There is absolutely no question for me,” said Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the interview he granted to SKAI, on Thursday evening (25.04.2024) when asked if he was interested in a European position.
Politico: Could ‘Mr. Handsome’ to take over the presidency of the European Council?
Politico talks about the possibility that the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, will take over the presidency of the European Council.
Could Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish prime minister nicknamed “Mr. Handsome’, to be the next president of the European Council?
That’s what European officials are wondering after Sanchez’s surprise announcement on Wednesday (25.04.2024) that he was considering stepping down as head of Spain’s government.
The news sparked speculation about Spain’s political future – as well as Sanchez’s chances of running for a top job in Brussels.
For the Spanish prime minister, as Politico writes, the move to Brussels could prove to be a deft exit from Spain’s fractured and toxic political scene: “But could Spain’s ‘Mr Handsome’ be the next president of the European Council ?”.
In his four-page letter, Pedro Sanchez expressed his indignation at the continuous attacks on his family by newspapers and right-wing voters. The extreme nature of the attacks, he said, led him to consider whether it was worth it to remain in charge of the country.
“I need time to think about whether I will remain in the prime ministership. I urgently need to answer a question I keep asking myself: Is it worth it to stay in the leadership despite the mudslinging of the right and far right?”
At the same time, Brussels is preparing for the distribution of the top jobs in the EU after the European elections in June.
The political parties that collect the most votes will contest high ranks seats in the leadership of the European Commission, the European Council, the European Parliament and the EU’s foreign policy arm.
The Socialists, likely to remain the second largest group in Parliament, are eyeing the European Council’s top job, currently held by the Belgian liberal Charles Michelle.
Sanchez, comments the same publication, may not be popular in Spain, but he is particularly popular in Brussels and enjoys the respect of many European officials. That doesn’t mean he’s good for a top job, though.
The climate in Brussels for a possible Sanchez candidacy
They appear divided officials and the EU diplomats regarding a possible candidacy of Sanchez for the top job in Brussels.
It remains to be seen if and how he will leave office and who will take over to succeed him.
If Sanchez steps down from leading Europe’s fifth-largest economy amid political chaos, it could tarnish his image in Brussels.
The EU leaders who will decide who will take this position would probably want someone who is at the end of his political career, like the former prime minister of Belgium, Herman Van Robay.
Sanchez, who took office in 2018 and won a third term as Spain’s prime minister last year, stunned Brussels when the Madrid government took over the rotating EU presidency in the second half of last year.
He has not hesitated to use his agenda-setting power in Brussels to advance his own domestic goals.
In fact, some diplomats were disturbed by his attempt to have them recognized Basque and Catalan as official languages of the EU.
