Ahead of the upcoming EU Council meeting in Brussels at the end of the week, Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel on Monday evening met with his EU counterparts in Kirchberg to discuss the open positions at the helm of the bloc. There has been unrest among some after the European People’s Party (EPP) voiced intentions to also claim the Council presidency aside from eyeing another term for Ursula von der Leyen as Commission president.
Speaking to RTL reporters outside of the Council building, Minister Bettel thus issued a warning to the EPP, “So I only hear that many people are very greedy at the moment, and I hope that we can find an agreement. But, those who are suddenly overly greedy risk hurting their own lead candidate.”
While the EPP came out on top of the recent EU elections, the party still needs the support of social democrats and the liberal Renew group to form a majority in parliament and secure von der Leyen’s reelection. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has already made clear that she does not want to be passed over. Bettel labelled that as a legitimate claim while the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), which now includes first-time MEP Fernand Kartheiser of the Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR), remains the third-strongest faction in Brussels and Strasbourg.
“Tonight I will have the opportunity of discussing this with several colleagues,” said Bettel. “I have organised an informal dinner where 40 foreign ministers will be able to deliberate on such matters... I think it is in the best interest of Europe to reach a majority willing to expand Europe. I find it normal that Ms Meloni, who is the third-strongest power, demands that people talk to her.”
Socialist candidate Paolo Costa is in the run for the EU Council presidency while liberal candidate Kaja Kallas is being floated as the new EU high representative for foreign affairs. The EU Parliament presidency is meanwhile expected to be taken over by the EPP or the social democrats. Sunday will mark the end of the Belgian EU presidency which is then to be taken over by Hungary under the slogan “Make Europe great again”.
