EU leaders decide to reaffirm Ursula von der Leyen as Commission chief

European leaders gathered on Thursday and announced the decision to give Ursula von der Leyen a second term as the head of the European Commission, as part of a reshuffling of prominent EU positions, according to diplomatic sources. Von der Leyen, a German conservative leader, will have to be confirmed by an absolute majority of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). However, the outcome of the vote, expected in mid-July, is uncertain due to shifts in political coalitions within the European Parliament following the strong surge of the extreme right in the June elections.

To represent EU diplomacy in the midst of the conflict in Ukraine, European heads of state and government appointed Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas as a steadfast opponent of the Kremlin to succeed Spaniard Josep Borrell. Kallas expressed her gratitude for this significant responsibility. Additionally, former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa was named as the new president of the European Council, succeeding Belgian Charles Michel.

These appointments were well-received and had been widely anticipated, with agreements finalized ahead of the Brussels summit following alliances between various European leaders. However, Hungarian nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban criticized the arrangement, calling it “shameful” and accusing the right of forming deceptive coalitions with the left and liberals.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was excluded from the negotiations between the political groups, abstained on von der Leyen and voted against Kallas and Costa. She expressed concerns about the influence of an “oligarchy” in EU decision-making.

As the EU moves forward with its priorities for the next five years, including security, defense, competitiveness, and immigration policies, the reshuffling of key EU positions reflects the changing political landscape in Europe following recent elections and alliances.