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Hungarian PM may become interim head of EC

07 January 2024 14:11 (UTC +04:00)

The head of the European Council, Charles Michel, announced his intention to participate in the elections to the European Parliament, which will be held in July 2024, APA reports citing Perild.

To do this, he will leave his post early, since the positions of Chairman of the European Council and Member of Parliament cannot be combined.

Michel will carry out his current duties until he is sworn in as a Member of the European Parliament on 16 July. Speaking to the press, he noted that his successor could be named in late June or early July.

“I have decided to participate in the European elections in 2024. If I am elected, I will take my seat. The European Council can anticipate and name a successor at the end of June or beginning of July,” Michel said.

As Politico writes, if the EU countries do not have time to agree on a new candidate for this post, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban can act as head of the European Council, since the country will preside over the EU Council during this period.

The head of the European Council will participate in the elections from the liberal Belgian Reform Movement party. He headed it from 2011 to 2019.

Charles Michel is 48 years old. He is a native of Belgium. He took over the post of head of the European Council in 2019, replacing Donald Tusk. Before this, the politician served as Prime Minister of Belgium and was the country’s youngest head of government.

Michel’s term expires in November 2024. Elections to the European Parliament are scheduled for early June. The head of the European Council is appointed for two and a half years with the possibility of extending his powers for the same period.