Public critisism makes EU Council head give up on parliament run
Photo: EU Council President Charles Michel (Getty Images)
The head of the European Council, Charles Michel, decided to withdraw his candidacy from the elections to the European Parliament, reports La Libre.
"I do not want the controversies to distract us from the essential and harm the institution that I chair, and therefore the European project," he said.
Michel admitted that he had underestimated "the scale and radicality of certain negative reactions" to the announcement of his candidacy for the European Parliament.
"I note that hurtful attacks are increasingly taking precedence over factual and objective arguments. In my opinion, this affects the evolution of democratic life. On a personal level, this leads me to question the meaning and the impact represented, not only for me but also for those close to me, an electoral commitment to which I have devoted my life for thirty years," he said.
What preceded
In an interview with the Belgian media, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, said that he intends to take part in the elections to the European Parliament. This presupposed that Michel would leave the position of the head of the EU Council early.
Let's add that 48-year-old Michel is a former prime minister of Belgium and since the end of 2019 has held the position of chairman of the EU Council.
At the same time, Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban could temporarily head the European Council in the event of the resignation of the current president , since Hungary will preside over the EU from July 2024 to December.
