BRUSSELS, January 26. /TASS/. European Council President Charles has decided not to take part in the election to the European Parliament, which could lead to him resigning early from his current post.
"My choice has given rise to intense media attention and speculation. I had foreseen some of it, given the unprecedented — some would say bold — nature of my approach. This has also led to extreme reactions - not within the European Council but outside it - to the prospect of running in the European elections, shortening my term and advancing my successor’s mandate by a few months," he said in a statement posted on his Facebook page (Facebook is banned in Russia due to its ownership by Meta, which has been designated as extremist).
"I don’t want this decision to distract us from our mission or undermine this institution and our European project nor be misused in any way to divide the European Council, which I believe must work tirelessly for European unity," he wrote. "But personal attacks are increasingly taking precedence over factual arguments - I believe this distorts objective democratic discourse. On a personal level, it brings me to reflect on the meaning and impact of my electoral commitment to which I have dedicated 30 years of my life, not only for me but also for those close to me."
"I will not be a candidate in the European elections," Michel stressed. ""I will devote all my efforts to my current responsibilities with steadfast determination until they come to an end. I will always be a fervent advocate of a Europe that is democratic, strong, united and master of its own destiny. At the end of this mandate, I will reflect on the nature and direction of my future commitments," he wrote.
In an interview with Belgian media on January 6, Michel said he planned to step down as European Council President early so he could run in the European Parliament election in June. This decision was said to be prompted by electoral problems of his French-language Belgian party Reformist Movement. Moreover, Michel’s mandate as the European Council President is expiring soon and he might choose to find a new place in politics to continue his career. If elected to the European Parliament, he might take on a position as the European Parliament president or his deputy, or at least a liberal faction leader.
According to the Politico news outlet, which cited EU sources, the European Union leaders met Michel’s decision to step down very negatively as he hadn’t consulted with them about this move. The European Parliament also slammed his decision as selfish and demanded his immediate resignation.
A European Council president has never resigned from office.