BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Union leaders concluded discussions on Monday aimed at determining the distribution of key positions within the European executive without agreement, moving towards a decision at the summit scheduled for next week .
It was the first meeting of the bloc’s heads of state and government since the European elections in which Eurosceptic and nationalist parties made a breakthrough, notably inflicting a setback in France on President Emmanuel Macron and in Germany on Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Gathering for a dinner in Brussels, European leaders discussed candidates for the positions of president of the European Commission, president of the European Council and head of European diplomacy.
EU leaders are expected to re-choose Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as head of the EU executive, while former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa is expected to be nominated as candidate for the presidency of the European Council. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas is tipped to lead foreign affairs.
“It was a good conversation. (It) goes in the right direction. But there was no agreement this evening,” the current president of the European Council, Charles Michel, told journalists at the end dinner.
Proposals have been made and additional work is necessary, he added, without further details.
(Philip Blenkinsop, Andrew Gray and Jan Strupczewski; French version Jean Terzian)
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