Race to fill EU top jobs heats up as coalition partners seek balance

Once again the European People's Party (EPP) is the dominant force in the European Parliament following this month's EU elections. But for Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and her EPP group the election process isn't over. The EPP remains well short of an absolute majority of 361 seats meaning it will, once again, have to form a governing alliance.

Von der Leyen maintains her center-right group is negotiating from a position of strength. "We are the strongest party. We are the anchor of stability and voters acknowledged our leadership during the last five years," she said at a post-election EPP event. 

While the EPP has grown stronger, its current coalition partners have weakened. The centrist coalition of the past five years consisted of the EPP, the Socialist and Democrats (S&D) and Renew. 

Between them they dominated the parliament with 417 out of the 705 available seats, but after this month's election, the so-called grand coalition has seen its stake dip to 406 out of the 720 seats now available for the next legislative session. 

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With less room for maneuver, speculation has grown over whether the EPP will need to forge fresh alliances with those further out on the political spectrum.

But working with the far right is a red line for some of the EPP's traditional allies. At least five major political groups have penned an open letter calling on the EPP to reject any alliance with the far right. 

Renew is one of those groups, but is confident the existing coalition has the seats to hold firm. 

"We can also count on EPP and S&D on the basic values in terms of European Union," said Clara De Melo, a  spokesperson for Renew Europe. "In this sense I think defense, competitiveness, green transition and digital transition will be important – and anyway, they will need us so we will set up the agenda with these priorities and then we'll start negotiations."

Top jobs up for grabs

Negotiations are also ongoing over who will get the EU's top jobs with the 27 EU leaders having the biggest say. On Monday they convened as the European Council to discuss the bloc's policy priorities and who should take the roles of European Commission president, the Council's next president and the EU's top diplomat.

"There is a whole package to be discussed but when I see the names I must say the emerging consensus so far, and let's see where we get to tonight, is positive," said outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte ahead of Monday's informal dinner.

Von der Leyen remains the frontrunner to win a second term as Commission President overseeing the EU's main executive branch. 

But some delegations reportedly left the dinner with a sour taste and hungry for a greater slice of the political pie. The Council convenes at the end of the month hoping to find consensus on who will help lead the EU for the next five years. 

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