• After Parliament Elections, EU chooses its new leaders

After Parliament Elections, EU chooses its new leaders

12 July 2019

The newly elected MEPs met in Parliament to elect their President, Vice-Presidents as well as the leaders of each standing committees and subcommittees.

On July 10, David McAllister was re-elected President of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament. McAllister is a German member of the EPP (right-wing) political group.

David McAllister © European Union 2017 - European Parliament

David McAllister
© European Union 2017 – European Parliament

He already served one term as the Chair of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee. This Committee plays a key role in steering EU policy towards non-member countries, including candidate countries and neighbouring countries, such as Armenia.

A week before him, the European Parliament had elected its president, David Sassoli, an Italian member of the S&D (left-wing).

Joseph Borrel Fontelles (member of the Spanish Socialist Worker’s Party) was appointed EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. If confirmed by Parliament, he will play a central role in EU foreign policy.

Joseph Borrell © UNDP_Carolina Gasiorowski

Joseph Borrell
© UNDP_Carolina Gasiorowski

Earlier in the month, the European Council nominated the Belgian Charles Michel as President of the European Council and the German Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission. The Commission is the EU’s executive, while the Council of Ministers is the EU’s major decision-making body and is composed of representatives of each of the 28 Member States.

Charles Michel, Ursula von der Leyen and Joseph Borrel must all still be confirmed by a vote in the European Parliament.

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