Belgian politician Charles Michel has announced his early resignation as European Council president, revealing plans to run in the European Parliament elections scheduled for June 2024.
In a statement to the Belgian media, Michel expressed his decision to stand as a candidate and highlighted the need to give an account of his work and propose a project for Europe's future.
Michel, a former Belgian prime minister, specified that he would lead the list of the liberal Reformist Movement (MR) party in the European Parliament elections and step down as Council president in July. He intends to continue his role until he is sworn in as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) on July 16.
The unexpected move has triggered speculation about the future leadership of the European Union, especially as negotiations for new top positions are set to begin in November, when Michel's official mandate concludes. While EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has not yet revealed her intentions regarding a second term, Michel's decision adds uncertainty to the upcoming leadership discussions.
As Council president, Michel played a key role in overseeing critical EU summits addressing issues such as the COVID pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The timing of his resignation has drawn criticism, with questions arising about his successor. According to EU procedures, the national leader of the country holding the rotating EU presidency would assume the role until the November election. In this scenario, Hungarian leader Viktor Orban could take over, prompting concerns due to his close ties with the Kremlin.
Michel suggested that standard procedures could potentially be changed by a simple majority vote. However, his decision faced criticism, with Dutch MEP Sophie in't Veld questioning his commitment to the European Union and likening it to "the captain leaving the ship in the middle of a storm."
The European Parliament elections, slated for June 6–9 across the 27 EU member countries, are expected to trigger intense negotiations for top positions in the European institutions, including the European Commission and European Council.
