Just days before the AP elections, the war has escalated: Macron met with EU leaders to unseat Leyen

The countdown has begun for the European Parliament (EP) elections. While the European Union (EU) Council approved the election to be held on 6-9 June 2024 in recent weeks, the seat war within the EU has also escalated.

MACRON TAKES ACTION TO MOVE HIS FOOT

Current EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced in February that she would run again for a second term and began election campaigning, but with less than two months left for the bloc’s elections, US broadcaster Bloomberg reported that French President Emmanuel Macron was talking about Ursula von der Leyen. He claimed that he took action to discredit him.

HE MEETS WITH EU LEADERS AND RECOMMENDS HIS OWN CANDIDATE

According to diplomatic sources interviewed by Bloomberg, the French leader is uncomfortable with Ursula von der Leyen, whose candidacy he previously supported, and wants former President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi to replace her.

Macron has held a series of meetings with EU prime ministers, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, but the outcome of the talks is unclear, according to sources familiar with the talks.

DESPITE MACRON’S MOVE, HE STILL IS THE STRONGEST CANDIDATE

Ursula von der Leyen, who became President of the EU Commission in 2019 following the agreement between Macron and then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel, is struggling with deep dissatisfaction in terms of trade negotiations, the bloc’s climate transformation and relations with the United States at the end of her 5-year term.

Although some officials think she has ‘over-politicised’ her role, Von der Leyen, the candidate of the centre-right European People’s Party, which has the most seats in the European Parliament, is still the strongest name in the election.

Draghi, the candidate suggested by Macron, is also seen as a strong profile. He is still admired for the steps he took to protect the common currency as president of the European Central Bank, but his advancing age (76) raises doubts within the union.

MACRON OPENLY CRITICISM

French President Macron openly criticized von der Leyen in his speech in Brussels last month. “The chairmanship of the commission exists to defend the general interest, so it should not be overly politicised. To be clear, this is not the case with the current commission.” he said.

The French leader is expected to give a speech at the Sorbonne today, but it is unclear whether he will delve into this topic.