Ursula von der Leyen on track to keep job after EU elections boost
Jennifer Rankin
Ursula von der Leyen is on track to remain for a second term as president of the European Commission, as EU leaders meet this evening for a first discussion on divvying up the bloc’s top jobs.
The EU’s 27 heads of state and government will gather for dinner in Brussels in their first group meeting since European elections last week boosted nationalist and far-right parties and triggered Emmanuel Macron to call snap elections in France.
At stake is whether von der Leyen receives a second five-year term as head of the commission, which initiates and enforces EU law. EU leaders will also decide on successors to Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, and Josep Borrell, the EU’s top diplomat.
Von der Leyen has long been the clear frontrunner. As the lead candidate for the centre-right European People’s party, which will be the largest group in the new European parliament with 26% of the seats, her position has been strengthened by the Europe-wide vote.
Consensus is also firming around Portugal’s Socialist former prime minister António Costa to take over from Michel in chairing EU Council meetings.
Estonia’s prime minister, Kaja Kallas, is a favourite to take over from Borrell as the EU’s chief diplomat.
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The head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen (L) and president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskiy (R) in Kyiv in November. Photograph: Global Images Ukraine/Getty Images