EU Leaders Express Optimism for Agreement on Top Four Positions at Official Summit.

At an informal summit on Monday, European Union leaders discussed the appointment of the top four positions in the EU, including the President of the European Commission, Speaker of the European Parliament, President of the European Council, and High Representative of the EU’s foreign and security policy. Although no agreement was reached during the discussions, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo expressed optimism that a preliminary agreement could be reached at the official summit next week.

During negotiations, names like Ursula von der Leyen, Antonio Costa, Roberta Metsola, and Kaja Kallas were proposed for these positions. There was a consensus among leaders to finalize the appointment package soon to build trust and ensure acceptance by parliament. The official EU summit will take place in Brussels next week where leaders hope to establish greater confidence among main parliamentary groups and secure support for these appointments.

Rumors had circulated that some parties wanted to split the term of President of the European Council but Orpo did not comment on this speculation. He emphasized that negotiations were ongoing and highlighted that forming alliances with moderate groups who shared similar values was important. These values include supporting EU development, backing Ukraine and upholding rule of law. He made it clear that there is no desire to cooperate with far-right Identity and Democracy group in European Parliament.