New EU Leaders Named Amid Political Shifts and Debate

European leaders met on Thursday to announce Ursula von der Leyen’s reappointment as the head of the European Commission, following a reshuffling of prominent EU positions. Von der Leyen, a German conservative leader, will need to be confirmed by an absolute majority of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) before she can begin her second term. However, the outcome of the vote is uncertain due to political shifts within the European Parliament following the strong surge of extreme right-wing parties in recent elections.

In other news, European heads of state and government appointed Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas as a steadfast opponent of Russia to succeed Spaniard Josep Borrell as EU foreign policy chief. Kallas expressed her gratitude for this significant responsibility and vowed to continue pushing back against Russian aggression in Ukraine. Additionally, former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa was named as the new president of the European Council, succeeding Belgian Charles Michel.

These appointments were widely expected and welcomed by most EU leaders, with agreements finalized ahead of the Brussels summit following alliances between various political groups. However, Hungarian nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban criticized the arrangement, calling it “shameful” and accusing right-wing leaders of forming deceptive coalitions with left-wing and liberal politicians.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni abstained on von der Leyen’s reappointment and voted against Kallas and Costa due to concerns about an “oligarchy” in EU decision-making. She also expressed concern about immigration policies and their impact on Italy’s economy and social cohesion.

As Europe moves forward with its priorities for the next five years, including security, defense, competitiveness, and immigration policies, these appointments reflect the changing political landscape in Europe following recent elections and alliances between different political groups.