Ursula Von Der Leyen
Ursula Von Der Leyen, a 65-year-old politician from Germany, has been nominated for a second term as the head of the European Commission. This organization is very powerful and influences many policies in Europe. Von Der Leyen’s party, the European People’s Party (EPP), remains the largest group in the EU Parliament, which supports her nomination.
Von Der Leyen is well-known for her role during the COVID-19 crisis. She helped the EU buy vaccines for its citizens, but she also faced criticism because the negotiations with vaccine companies were not very transparent.
She is also committed to making Europe climate-neutral by 2050, although her dedication to these Green Deal policies has been questioned recently. Farmers have expressed concerns that these environmental laws are hurting their businesses.
The European Commission, led by Von Der Leyen, sets policy agendas, represents the EU at international meetings, and handles trade negotiations. Von Der Leyen’s second term still needs to be approved by the European Parliament in a vote expected to take place in July.
Antonio Costa
Antonio Costa, the former Prime Minister of Portugal, has been chosen to replace Charles Michel as the President of the European Council. Costa, a 62-year-old socialist, will serve a 2.5-year term, which can be renewed once. The Socialists came in second place in the EU elections, which helped Costa’s case for the position.
Costa’s selection was controversial due to his government’s involvement in a corruption investigation, which led to his resignation as Prime Minister last year. Costa denies any wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime. The European Council, which Costa will lead, brings together EU member states and works to find consensus among them. Costa will also represent the EU at international summits alongside Von Der Leyen.
Kaja Kallas
Kaja Kallas, the Prime Minister of Estonia, has been nominated as the EU’s top diplomat, succeeding Josep Borrell. This is the highest EU position ever given to an Estonian. Kallas, a 47-year-old lawyer, is known for her strong support of Ukraine and her criticism of Russia. Despite her liberal group losing ground in the recent EU elections, Kallas was still chosen for this important role.
Kallas has been a vocal advocate for Ukraine and has pushed for stronger defense plans for the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, which all border Russia. She has led Estonia since January 2021 as its first female head of government and was once interested in becoming the next Secretary General of NATO. However, that position will be held by the outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
These three leaders will play crucial roles in shaping the future of the European Union, representing the bloc on the global stage and addressing important issues such as trade, climate change, and international relations.
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