The Chairman of the European Council, Charles Michel, has made an unexpected decision to withdraw his candidacy from elections to the European Parliament. This decision was made six days before the planned Summit of EU leaders, where financial assistance to Ukraine should be discussed.
It was previously reported that the President of the Euro Council considered the possibility of early abandonment of the position in order to participate in the elections to the European Parliament. This would provoke a significant precedent as the first case of the election of the current chairman of the Euro Council in the elections to the European Parliament, as well as the first case of early drafting of the powers of the chairman of the Euro Council.
It should be noted that the elections to the European Parliament are scheduled for June, so with successful election, Charles Michel would have left his post of President of the Euro Council in mid -July. EU leaders should now quickly agree on his successor in the European Council. In the event of this issue, the presidency in the European Council will temporarily move to the Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban, a leader of the country who should expect presidency in the EU Council from July 2024 to December.
