The heads of State and Government of the EU have reached out to the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, seeking her support in the distribution of positions at the European leadership. This issue will be discussed this Thursday and Friday, despite their discomfort because the list of names has already been agreed upon by the coalition of ‘popular’, socialists, and liberals.
The Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, reassured his Italian counterpart by reminding her that “there is no Europe without Italy” and that no decision can be made without her input. Tusk himself has been involved in negotiating the proposal that includes the renewal of Ursula von der Leyen as head of the European Commission, the appointment of António Costa as president of the European Council, and the election of Kaja Kallas as the head of European diplomacy.
The distribution of senior positions was negotiated by the three political groups without considering the governments of Italy, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. This has sparked criticism from Meloni and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who have threatened to oppose the appointments. However, the rest of the capitals insist that a qualified majority is sufficient to move the agreement forward.
Orbán has been the only leader to openly criticize the agreement as “shameful” and a result of a “coalition of lies”. Meloni has refrained from making public statements upon her arrival in the Belgian capital. Tusk has shown support for having Giorgia Meloni on board and emphasized the importance of Italy in decision-making processes within the EU.
Negotiations are ongoing, with leaders leaving space for Meloni to outline her political priorities, especially in areas such as migration. The hope is that dialogue among leaders during the summit will lead to a resolution on the distribution of positions. Diplomatic sources believe the agreement on the ‘Top Jobs’ can be reached on this Thursday.