Costa understands Italy’s vote against and “cites” Soares: he wants to be “the president of all those who sit on the European Council”
The newly elected president of the European Council said he was “honored†by the decision of the majority of European leaders, who chose António Costa on Thursday night to lead the body and succeed Charles Michel, pointing out that he understands “perfectly†Italy’s vote against.
This Friday, in Brussels, António Costa said that the approval of his name is a “vote of confidence†that “honors†him. “I now hope during the two and a half years ahead of me to contribute to the prestige of our country, to live up to the example of the Portuguese who work abroad and in our communities,†the former Portuguese Prime Minister told journalists, promising who will work to “ensure the functioning of the European Council†.
Now, for Costa, the objective is “por into practice the strategic agenda that was approved, which is the route for the next five years†defined by the leaders of the community bloc.
Costa was questioned by Italy’s vote against, led by far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, which he faced with normality and a democratic spirit. Meloni was the only one to vote against Costa’s name.
“The Council is not an association of technocrats, but of politicians, who vote according to their preferences. I perfectly understand the vote of the Prime Minister of Italy, with whom I expect to collaborate closely, as I expect to collaborate with the other 26″, highlighted the new president of the European Council, who will only take office in December.
Ursula Von der Leyen, Kaja Kallas and António Costa, at Brussels Airport
OLIVIER HOSLET
The Portuguese added that Meloni’s vote against his candidacy for the European Council does not bode badly for European institutions (at a time when several countries are witnessing a strengthening of the extreme right, namely in France). “One of the great qualities of the European Union is that it is a union of several states, all of them states governed by democratic law, and where the respective governments are the result of the popular will. They are democratically chosen,” he stressed.
Still on Italy, and on the rise of extremist parties to the leadership of Europe, Costa reiterated that “the Italy’s government, like the government of the other 26 countries, results from the vote and democratic expression of the respective peoples that we must respect”, and the bloc must work “together” to overcome fundamental differences.
Costa succeeds Belgian Charles Michel and will be the first socialist from the European Socials and Democrats to lead the European Council. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa commented that the Portuguese was approved by leaders from various political spectrums, including the radical right (such as Viktor Orbán, from Hungary), but António Costa made it clear that “everyone knows†that he was elected for being “socialist†.
“In addition, the president of the Council must know how to place himself above political families when carrying out his functions, and have a clear and precise notion so that all 27 have equal rights and deserve equal respect,” he said.
And he took the opportunity to quote another historic Portuguese socialist, Mário Soares, to defend a search for consensus and dialogue at European level.” like the expression that Mário Soares created for the Presidents of the Republic, ‘being the President of all Portuguese’. The president of the Council must be the president of all those who sit on the European Council.”
As he will only take office in December and, for now, the former head of the Portuguese Government only thinks about resting, and says he will do something that he “hasn’t done since college”: take a few “long consecutive weeks” on vacation†.
The previous prime minister and leader of the Socialist Party was confirmed on Thursday as the next president of the European Council; accompanied by the appointments of Ursula von der Leyen, who will continue to be president of the European Commission for another five years; and Kaja Kallas, the former prime minister of Estonia, who will succeed Josep Borrell as head of European diplomacy.
His candidacy received a fierce defense from Luís Montenegro, who wrote on the social network X (formerly Twitter) that “the Europe faces great challenges and we will count on everyone to defend a more cohesive European Union, capable of building bridges so that States can give people the answers they need.”
News updated at 5:40 pm
