Christodoulides supports second term for European Commission president

President Nikos Christodoulides on Monday threw his support behind Ursula von der Leyen to continue as European Commission president.

He said that the results of the EU parliamentary elections were clear and that he hoped the process of selecting leadership in the EU for the next five years will wrap up by July.

The president was answering questions from journalists on his arrival at a meeting of EU leaders and opposition leaders of the European People’s Party (EPP) member states.

The meeting, in Brussels, takes place ahead of an informal dinner of the 27, at which the results of the European elections will be discussed, as well as the possible names for the presidency of the commission and the European Council, as well as for the post of high representative, in connection with the European Parliament’s choice of its own president next month.

Asked whether he expects an agreement on the EU leadership at Monday’s night’s leaders’ dinner, Christodoulides said that “the election result is clear, we need to move immediately, and I hope by July we will have concluded”.

“I hope that today we will have a first agreement. It cannot be formal, as it is an informal meeting, but what is important is to finish by July,” he added, referring to the European parliament plenary next month.

It is recalled that if the leaders lock the name of the next European Commission president at the June 27-28 session, it is possible that the plenary will vote to ratify the appointment at the July 16-19 session.

Responding to a question on what he thinks the name of the next Commission President will be, Christodoulides replied that “the name of the president is clear – I think as I told you that the result of the elections was clear. Therefore, Ursula should go for a second term”.