(VOVWORLD) - The European Council summit agreed on Thursday to formally nominate Germany's Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as president of the European Commission.
 Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) |
EU leaders agreed to elect former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa as President of the European Council, and nominate Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas as the EU's foreign policy chief.
Following her nomination, Von der Leyen said she will soon present the EU's political direction for the next 5 years. Kallas promised to build new global partnerships for the EU, and Costa prioritized protecting intra-bloc solidarity.
“Europe and the world are facing challenging moments, but the EU has demonstrated its resilience in the past, finding strength in unity. Building unity between member states will be my main priority when I take my position in December. I will focus on putting on track the Strategic Agenda approved by the European Council," said Costa.
Von der Leyen and Kallas's nominations still need approval by the European Parliament. A vote will be held on July 18. Costa's nomination only needs to be approved by the EU heads of state.