European Union leaders will gather in Brussels on Monday for an informal meeting focused largely on discussing the choice of people to fill key positions in the bloc.

Three jobs are up for grabs: president of the European Commission, currently held by Ursula von der Leyen; president of the European Council, a position held now by Charles Michel; and that of foreign policy chief or “high representative,” which is currently in the hands of Josep Borrell.

The dinner debate on top jobs comes against the background of the gains made by the far right in recent European Parliament elections, which have triggered snap elections in key EU nation France and caused considerable unease elsewhere in the bloc.

Who is in contention?

Conservative German politician Ursula von der Leyen, 65, is the favorite to retake the job of European Commission president, a position she has already held since 2019.

Her chances have been bolstered by the success of her European People’s Party (EPP) in the European elections that took place from June 6 to June 9.

She will need support from a “qualified majority” of 15 out of the 27 EU member countries, making up at least 65% of the bloc’s population, to clinch the job.

That means she will have to win over German Chancellor Olaf Scholz from the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), and  French President Emmanuel Macron from the centrist Renew Europe group.

The S&D, which came second in the elections, is hoping that one of its members, 62-year-old former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, will take the Council position, for which he is currently seen as the frontrunner.  

Costa stepped down from his position as Portuguese prime minister amid a corruption probe, but diplomats say the case, which seems to have lost headway, is not likely to prevent him from taking on the position.

The top contender for the job of foreign policy chief is Kaja Kallas, 46, the current premier of Estonia.

Kallas is an outspoken critic of the Kremlin, and choosing her would be a strong sign of solidarity with the EU’s east, which feels increasingly threatened by potential Russian aggression amid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Other issues on the agenda

The leaders are due to confirm their choices at an EU summit on June 27-28. Von der Leyen would still then need backing from the European Parliament, which votes in its first session on July 16.

EU leaders are also expected to discuss the bloc’s agenda for the next five-year legislative cycle. The focus of their talks is likely to be on common values, defense and economic competitiveness.  

Another important job in the EU is that of the European Parliament president, which is not decided by leaders but by the legislature itself.

The EPP’s Roberta Metsola, 45, who is already the incumbent, has appeared as the top contender for that job and is likely to be returned for another 2 1/2-year term.

tj/ab (AP, AFP)