The president of the European Council, Charles Michel, highlighted this Sunday that 2024 is an “extraordinary global election year”, specifically due to the “very important” elections to the European Parliament, proposing combat “extremists who undermine” the European Union (EU).
“These elections are extremely important. […] This year 2024 will be an extraordinary global electoral year, because we will not only have elections in Europe, [mas] There are literally elections in the United States, elections in India, in Russia and 50% of the world’s population is supposed to vote next year. This is a very important point for me, for all of us, we feel that we are at a crossroads for the European Union project,” said Charles Michel, speaking to several international journalists, including from the Lusa agency, in Brussels.
A day after announcing that he would head the list of the French-speaking liberal party MR for the European elections in June, with a view to being able to occupy a European position (such as MEP or another) in the next institutional cycle, Charles Michel noted that “The fundamental promises of prosperity, democratic principles and values, and peace and security are under enormous pressure.with very strict regulations in the direct neighborhood, including the European continent.
“In these circumstances, more than ever, it is important that those who, like me, sincerely believe in the added value […] of the European Union to get involved, be active, commit to defending and also have courage […] when populists or extremists try to undermine the European project,” such as when they say that “it is a mistake to support Ukraine,” the official said.
Charles Michel justified his candidacy – which, in practice, will force him to leave his position a few months before as President of the European Council – with his ambition to “champion the strengthening of the European commitment” to economic integration, cooperation against climate change and also security and defense matters.
“I made the decision to run in the European elections because I believe that it is very important to support European legitimacy. We often hear some criticism about the lack of European legitimacy and democracy and, after four years of participating in very important decisions at the EU level is really important to be accountable and support this democratic process,” said Charles Michel.
“I will do everything in my power to defend my vision, my ideas for the future of the EU and I am convinced that we need to reform the European Union and we also need to make the EU more sovereign, more powerful in several areas,” he added.
Charles Michel, 48, former prime minister of Belgium, announced this on Saturday in an interview with three newspapers and on the eve of a party meeting that took place today.
This Sunday, the French-speaking liberal party MR confirmed the candidacy of the current president of the European Council, the Belgian Charles Michel, for the European elections in June.
The European elections will take place between June 6 and 9 and only then will the European Council meet to appoint Charles Michel’s successor.
He would finish his term – his second – at the head of the European institution next November, but, taking into account the announcement now made, he should leave in mid-July.
There are no legal or other impediments that prevent Charles Michel from standing as a candidate in the next elections to the European Parliament.
Source: TSF
