‘There Are Many Options To Avoid Orban’

• 8.01.2024, 11:09

Charles Michel clarified the situation with the succession in the European Council.

There may be a political will in the European Council to avoid the presidency of Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian leader who has been criticized for his pro-Russian position. If so, European leaders have enough time to choose another successor for the current European Council President Charles Michel.

Charles Michel said this on January 7 in a comment to journalists, Reuters reports. Recall: on January 6, Michel, the former Prime Minister of Belgium, announced his decision to run in the EU parliamentary elections in June 2024. This means that he will leave the post of head of the European Council before the expiration of his term of office at the end of November.

Since Hungary holds the presidency of the EU Council from July to December, its Prime Minister Viktor Orbán could eventually chair the meetings of the European Council.

"I want to be clear that in any case, in June the decision was to be made on my successor and the parliament decision will be in July so it's easy for the Council to decide, to anticipate for my successor to enter into function," Michel said.

"There are many tools if there is the political will to avoid Viktor Orban," said the European Council President.