Michel Aims to Exact Revenge on von der Leyen by Preventing Her Reelection: Politico

The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, intends to block the re-election of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for a second term, driven by a desire to take revenge on his long-standing rival. This is reported by the European publication Politico.

According to the report, European officials in Brussels are concerned that Michel plans to "bring down his own enemy," von der Leyen, by preventing her from being reelected after years of competition. An anonymous European official stated that Michel wants the Commission President to "slip up" while he seeks to secure another "high office" in Brussels following the European Parliament elections.

The official added that Michel's intentions are "obvious" and "driving everyone crazy." An anonymous diplomat told Politico that many EU member states are already worried that Michel, who will lead the distribution of top EU positions at the summit of EU leaders after the European Parliament elections, will pursue a personal revenge agenda against von der Leyen.

The publication notes that during his tenure as the President of the European Council, Michel has "become a target of criticism and ridicule," while von der Leyen's reputation has grown throughout her term—especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine. However, as the paper points out, the current leader of the Commission has outperformed her rivals in the elections, giving her a solid basis to retain power following the election results.

Anonymous EU officials have also informed the publication that Michel might target the position of the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, with whom he has a good relationship. Meanwhile, EU diplomats believe that Michel's chances of obtaining this position are extremely low.