Media: Orban may become interim president of the European Council
The head of the Hungarian government, Viktor Orban, may become the interim president of the European Council if the current head, Charles Michel, leaves his post if he is elected to the European Parliament in the summer.
This is reported by Politico. In his statement to the Belgian media, Charles Michel noted that he would leave his post early to take part in the elections.
It was noted that if elected, Michel will take office in the European Parliament in mid-July. Therefore, EU leaders should identify his successor as soon as possible.
If the EU leaders cannot agree on this issue, then the post of president of the EU Council will be entrusted for 6 months to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the leader of the country that will preside over the EU Council from July 2024 to December on a rotating basis.
This is the first time that the current president of the Council of the EU will be a candidate for elections to the European Parliament, as well as the first time he leaves office ahead of schedule.
Michel was supposed to remain in office until the end of November. And although his decision is legally permissible, it creates additional pressure on European leaders, since they usually have more time for reshuffles and agreements during the large distribution of senior positions in the EU.
According to the newspaper, after the elections to the European Parliament, which will be held on June 6-9 in all 27 EU countries, European leaders will meet on June 17, and then on June 27-28. It is at these meetings that they will probably try to come to an agreement on Michel's replacement.
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