The surprise announcement by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, that he will stand as a candidate in the European elections at the beginning of June is forcing the Heads of State or Government of the Member States of the European Union to think ahead about the successor to Mr Michel, whose term of office would normally end at the end of November, and the potential candidates available to make themselves known earlier.
“That’s democracy: there are still 6 months to go before the constituent session of the new European Parliament. So no one can be surprised. My successor will be elected at the end of June or beginning of July. The second half of 2024 will in any case be a period of political transition, including for the European Commission”, said Mr Michel in an interview published on Saturday 6 January in the Belgian newspapers De Standaard, La Libre and Le Soir.
If elected, Mr Michel intends to be sworn in as a Member of the European Parliament in mid-July, a sequence that could avoid a vacancy in the office of President of the European Council, if the European Council reaches a decision before then. To run his campaign, the Belgian Liberal would not have to take a back seat in May in order to be able to defend his vision for the EU in 2030 to the citizens of Europe, the horizon he had set with a view to reforming the internal workings of Europe before welcoming new member countries (see EUROPE 13237/8).
According to a European source, there is “no legal obstacle” preventing the President of the European Council from standing for election. On the contrary, such an exercise would strengthen the “democratic legitimacy” of the office. And such a decision will have no impact, as Mr Michel will remain “fully committed” to his mission until the end of his term of office.
Mr Michel, who heads the French-speaking Belgian liberal party Reformist Movement, has not said whether he intends to be the lead candidate (‘Spitzenkandidat’) of the European centre-right political family, a platform that will bring together the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), the European Democratic Party (EDP) and the Renaissance party in France. For the ALDE, the deadline for nominations is 29 February (see EUROPE 13283/2).
“It is what politicians do: take part in elections. [...] It is important that we will continue to play our role in our rotating presidency and Mr Michel plays his part as President of the European Council”, said Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo on Monday 8 January in Brussels, during the press trip organised by the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Two European summits will be held on 17 June and 27-28 June to draw lessons from the European elections, which will be held between 6 and 9 June, in particular to consider the EU’s strategic priorities between now and 2030 and the allocation of senior European posts.
The EU27 elect their President by a qualified majority of Member States for a period of 2.5 years, renewable once. In the event of death or serious misconduct, this mandate may be shortened by a qualified majority and/or taken over by the Prime Minister of the country holding the Presidency of the EU Council. As things stand, this could be the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, from July.
Mr Michel’s two predecessors, Belgium’s Herman Van Rompuy and Poland’s Donald Tusk, served their second term of office right up to the end. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion with Camille-Cerise Gessant)