Coalition yet to agree on another term for Ursula von der Leyen as European Commission president
Taoiseach Simon Harris said he hoped agreement will be reached over the identity of the next European Commission president so that 'a vacuum' does not emerge. Photograph: Alessandro Della Valle/Pool/AFP via Getty ImagesThe German politician is the only serious name on the table in advance of Monday’s informal European Council meeting in Brussels, the first such gathering since recent European elections.
Before Monday’s informal meeting, with no decisions expected, Mr Harris said he was happy to “let the process unfold”. Several of Ireland’s 14 MEPs, including from Coalition party Fianna Fáil, have said they will not vote for Dr von der Leyen if her name comes before the European Parliament as a nominee to be commission president.
Other names in the mix for top jobs include ex-Portuguese prime minister António Costa, a Social Democrat, as European Council president and Estonia’s liberal prime minister Kaja Kallas as EU foreign policy chief. A return of the EPP’s Roberta Metsola is considered likely. In Switzerland neither French president Emmanuel Macron nor Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni could be drawn on their desired candidate.
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