Former president of European Commission yet another VIP in Costa’s corner
Former Portuguese prime minister and decade-long president of the European Commission, José Manuel Durão Barroso has joined the already wide range of national and international political personalities who believe António Costa is the best-placed candidate to take over the European post currently held by Belgian Charles Michel.
Mr Barroso has told Spanish newspaper El Español that Portugal’s former Socialist prime minister is the “best positioned” to chair the European Council, as he is the one who “generates the most consensus” inside and outside the Socialist family.
A Social Democrat himself, Durão Barroso stressed it is natural for the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) to take over leadership of the European Council, leaving the more-to-the-right European People’s Party (EPP) with the presidency of the Commission.
“And here, Costa is the best placed. Because he has a lot of experience, he is the most respected in his party and he generates consensus. I think it’s only natural that he should be the next president of the European Council,” said the former PSD leader.
Mr Barroso also said that he “doesn’t see” the president of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, in a position in the European Union since Sánchez “hasn’t put himself forward as a candidate”.
Insisting António Costa is the most consensual choice “within the Socialist family and also outside of it”, Mr Barroso said he is “in contact with all levels of European government”.
And although António Costa does not belong to the EPP political family, in Portugal there is “a tradition” of support between Socialists and Social Democrats for candidates for positions at European or international level: it was António Costa after all, when he was an MEP, who supported Durão Barroso’s election to the European Commission – a position he held between 2004 and 2014.
“António Costa, the name so many are talking about”
Prime minister Luís Montenegro has already announced that the Portuguese executive is supporting Mr Costa’s name for this top job in Europe.
Today is also the day in which the European Council begins a debate on the top positions in the European Union (EU), which should culminate in a decision at the European summit at the end of the month.
Names most talked about beyond that of Mr Costa are Ursula von der Leyen for a new term at the head of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of Estonia, for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Roberta Metsola for re-election to the leadership of the European Parliament.
As reports repeatedly stress: “despite his resignation following judicial investigations, former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa continues to be tipped to succeed Belgian Charles Michel (in office since 2019) at the head of the European Council, the EU institution that brings together the EU’s heads of government and State, in an appointment that is made by European leaders, who decide by qualified majority (55% of the 27 member states, representing 65% of the total population).
Source material: LUSA/ SIC Notícias
