European Union big-hitter Charles Michel’s confirmation that he is to stand for a seat in the European Parliament later this year has exposed the increasingly bitter “squabbling” at the heart of the bloc, a Brussels-based expert has said.
Mr Michel’s surprising announcement means he will almost certainly step down from his current post of President of the European Council in July, meaning the EU’s various political factions have barely six months to settle on a replacement.
If they do not do so, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose country is scheduled to take over the rotating presidency of the separate council of the EU that month, would leader meetings – something European leaders are keen to avoid given his close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Mr Michel’s move has seen other high-profile figures jockeying for position, with fellow Belgian and European Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders reportedly throwing his hat into the ring for the post of secretary-general of international human rights body the Council of Europe.
Speculating about the reasons for Mr Michel’s decision, Pieter Cleppe, Editor-in-chief of BrusselsReport.eu, told Express.co.uk: “He is clearly looking to secure his career.
“For all the talk of the importance of EU-decision making, his own professional future seems to come first.”
He explained: “There are rumours he wants to become Belgian PM again, but that is not likely, as the Flemish liberals, whose strength plays a role in this, have been weakened a lot.”
Mr Cleppe also pointed to the fractious nature of Mr Michel’s relationship with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. In one bizarre incident, the former German defence minister was pictured standing awkwardly as Mr Michel and Turkish President Recip Tayyip Erdogan sat next to each other during a trip to Ankara in 2021.
Mr Cleppe continued: “Both Michel and von der Leyen are quite immature really, when it comes to their relationship.
“Reportedly, they haven’t talked for months now.
“It is yet more evidence of what happens when powerful political jobs are awarded through a process with insufficient democratic legitimacy.”
Mr Cleppe also drew attention to Mr Reynders’s apparent ambitions, reported in Belgian media outlets, with Mr Michel reportedly keen on the idea as a way of removing a potential political rival for the next five years.
All the internal “squabbling” was “not a good look” for the EU, Mr Cleppe stressed.
Explaining his decision yesterday, Mr Michel, 48, said: “I’ve decided to stand as a candidate for the European elections in June 2024.
“Four years after starting my term as a European leader, it’s my responsibility to give an account of my work these past years and to propose a project for Europe’s future.”
Mr Michel will top the list of the liberal Reformist Movement (MR) party, of which he is a former leader, in the European Parliament elections and step down from his current job in July.
Dutch MEP Sophie in ‘t Veld was deeply unimpressed, accusing Mr Michel of “leaving the ship in the middle of a storm”.
Posting on X, formerly Twitter, she said: “If that is how little committed you are to the fate of the European Union, then how credible are you as a candidate?”
