Six European Union leaders responsible for negotiating the most influential posts in the EU institutions, including the Spanish Pedro Sánchez, agreed on Tuesday to propose Ursula von der Leyen, Antonio Costa, and Kaja Kallas as the president of the European Commission, the president of the European Council, and the EU’s top diplomat, respectively, for the upcoming legislature. This alignment signals a concerted effort to balance leadership across the bloc’s key bodies and to reflect a cross‑party consensus in the next term.
According to sources close to the talks, the agreement was reached on Tuesday during a video conference that brought together the Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the Polish prime minister Donald Tusk, representing the European People’s Party; Pedro Sánchez and German chancellor Olaf Scholz from the socialist and social-democratic groups; and French president Emmanuel Macron along with outgoing Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte from the liberal side. The discussions were described by those familiar with the negotiations as a stepping stone toward formal endorsement at the upcoming summit in Brussels. [Citation: EU leadership talks, confidential briefing, sources familiar with the process]
This pact among the pro‑European majority the Parliament relies on must now be endorsed at the heads of state and government summit scheduled for Thursday and Friday in the Belgian capital. The forthcoming meeting will be a critical moment for confirming the three candidates as the bloc seeks to project cohesion amid differing national priorities and domestic pressures. [Citation: Brussels summit agenda, official notice]
The trio of names aligns with several governance principles that have guided EU leadership selections in recent cycles: gender balance, geographic diversity, and political plurality. Von der Leyen comes from Germany, Costa hails from Portugal, and Kallas represents Estonia. The ticket also mirrors a mix of political families—two center‑right and one center‑left—reflecting the bloc’s intent to distribute influence across its major camps. [Citation: EU governance criteria, internal guidelines]
Earlier attempts at a similar distribution, notably during the June 17 European summit, were blocked in part by the desire of the European People’s Party to divide the Council presidency in two halves and claim the second portion of a two‑and‑a‑half‑year period. The current arrangement seeks to resolve those concerns by proposing a clearer, more balanced distribution of roles at the top of the executive and legislative branches. [Citation: June summit, political negotiations]
Negotiators have agreed to leave the precise allocation of the second terms for the Council and the European Parliament presidency until closer to the renewal date, so as to account for political realities at that time. This approach aims to maintain flexibility while preserving parity among the major EU institutions. [Citation: renewal timeline, negotiators’ notes]
To address potential friction with Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, who was not invited to the negotiation rounds, one of the six negotiators reportedly reached out to her to assure her that she would have a high‑profile portfolio in the next EU executive, as she had requested. The meeting underscored the bloc’s willingness to acknowledge individual national interests within a broader, coordinated framework. [Citation: outreach efforts, reassurances]
The established trio appears to satisfy the bloc’s gender parity goal, geographic diversity, and political alignment: two women and one man; one Estonian, one German, and one Portuguese; and one from each of the major political families—popular, socialist, and liberal. This balance is intended to reinforce legitimacy across member states while signaling a united stance on EU priorities. [Citation: balance criteria, party representation]
With the leadership balance clarified, the remaining question concerns the presidency of the European Parliament. The parties have indicated political color rather than naming individuals: the European People’s Party would hold the first half of the term, currently led by Roberta Metsola, with the second half traditionally controlled by the social democrats. The outcome of that potential arrangement remains to be finalized, contingent on broader negotiations and electoral dynamics. [Citation: Parliament presidency framework]
In sum, the negotiated lineup aims to present a coherent and representative leadership team for the European Union in the next legislative phase. It seeks to reconcile procedural rules, party interests, and regional representation while preparing the bloc to address upcoming policy challenges with a stable, credible executive. [Citation: summary of negotiations]