The European People’s Party (EPP), Europe’s largest political party, is preparing to back Ursula von der Leyen’s bid for a second mandate as president of the European Commission, since the former German defence minister is set to run for a second term, according to Euractiv.
Von der Leyen has not yet announced her intention to become the EPP’s leading candidate, but it is already becoming clear that she will file her candidacy. In order to become a nominee, she must be proposed by her party, the German Christian Democrats (CDU), and supported by two other EPP member parties in a letter signed and submitted by February 21.
Brussels expects that Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk‘s Civic Platform Party and his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ New Democracy Party may endorse von der Leyen.
Tusk, who recently won the Polish election, is fighting a dramatic battle to restore the rule of law in his country after PiS governance. At the same time, Greece under Mitsotakis’ leadership has a large EPP political capital, as New Democracy and its leader do not face serious opposition within the country.
In recent months, there have been press reports and rumours that Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković are also considering taking the top EU post. Croatian President Zoran Milanović publicly stated earlier this month that Plenković was “eyeing Charles Michel’s post” as Council President. However, both alleged candidates categorically reject such speculation.
The EPP has set up an informal leaders’ meeting on February 1 at its headquarters in Brussels ahead of a special European Council meeting, a chance to discuss the roadmap for the upcoming European Parliament elections scheduled for June 6-9. The EPP is expected to have at least a dozen leaders at the European Council table after the elections.
Although von der Leyen has not yet announced anything, an EPP source from Germany revealed that she could very possibly announce her candidacy at the CDU meeting in Berlin on February 19.
If the rumours are confirmed, she will just have to wait for approval at the EPP Congress in Bucharest on March 6-7.
