Former Belgian PM reappointed for a second term as head of the European Council
The Former Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel (Francophone liberal) has been unanimously reelected for a second term as president of the European Council. The decision to give Mr Michel a second two-and-a-half-year team was taken at Thursday evening’s meeting of the European Council in Brussels. Among those to congratulate Mr Michel was the United States President Joe Biden, who was a guest at the European Council on Thursday evening. Mr Biden said that he too dreams of a second term as president of the USA.
Mr Michel’s second term as European Council President will run from June 1 2022, until November 30 2024. Mr Michel took office on December 1, 2019.
At Thursday’s meeting it was also decided that he should continue to chair Eurozone summits for a further two and a half years. Both Mr Michel’s predecessor’s, the Belgian Herman Van Rompuy and the Pole Donald Tusk completed two two-and-half-year terms, the maximum allowed.
As there were no other candidates Thursday’s re-election was nothing more than a formality.