President Christodoulides congratulates three leaders nominated to take EU helm

12:25 - 28 June 2024

Current Affairs

President Nikos Christodoulides has congratulated the three EU leaders chosen to take up the top positions at the EU helm.

In a message on X, President Christodoulides congratulated Ursula von der Leyen, António Costa and Kaja Kallas for their nominations.

He said Cyprus is "committed to working closely with you guided by a common vision for a stronger, more secure, more resilient Union, that delivers even more to its citizens and in the world".

Ursula von der Leyen, from the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), is set for a second mandate as European Commission President while former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa of the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) was proposed for European Council President and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas of the centrist Renew Europe for the role of EU's foreign policy high representative.

All three nominees are part of the centrist alliance that dominates the EU parliament and while Costa will automatically succeed Charles Michel this year, von der Leyen and Kallas will need to win the legislature’s backing in order to be confirmed in their positions.

The vote will take place in July.

The three won broad backing from the EU leaders, although Italy’s Giorgia Meloni abstained from the vote on von der Leyen and voted against Costa and Kallas. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, also on the hard right, voted against von der Leyen and did not vote for Kallas.

President Christodoulides congratulates three leaders nominated to take EU helm

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