Brussels, 23/02/2026 (Agence Europe) – On Monday 23 February, the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties approved the appointment of Andrés Ritter to the post of European Chief Prosecutor at the head of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) by 52 votes to 10, with 6 abstentions. On 3 December, four candidates shortlisted for the post were interviewed by MEPs. At the end of the hearing, Mr Ritter, a German national, was named as the preferred candidate (see EUROPE 13765/9). Andrés Ritter is currently European Public Prosecutor and Deputy to the Chief Prosecutor, Laura Kövesi. He has more than three decades’ experience as a magistrate, including ten years as head of the public prosecutor’s office in Rostock (Germany), specialising in economic crime, cybercrime and state security. Laura Kövesi’s seven-year mandate will end on 31 October 2026. The European Parliament will confirm Andrés Ritter’s appointment in March. (SP)