Brussels, 23/02/2026 (Agence Europe) – Italy is proposing Maurizio Martina for the post of Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, and the Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, declared on Monday 23 February. Mr Martina is a former Minister of Agriculture (2014-2018) and is currently Deputy Director-General of the FAO. Other European candidates are also in the running. The Irish press is referring in particular to the candidacy of former European Commissioner Phil Hogan. The European Agriculture Ministers discussed the applications on Monday. Maria Panayiotou, President-in-Office of this Council, said that “the majority of Member States believe that it would be strategically and politically wiser to present a single European candidate”. “Over the next few months, we will be holding discussions with the Member States and, between now and May, we will try to determine whether an agreement is possible”, she said. (LC)