António Costa, the Portuguese politician who served as the Prime Minister(PM) of Portugal from 2015 to 2024, was elected as the New President of the European Council.
- He will take office in December 2024 succeeding Charles Michel of Belgium, who has been holding the post since 2019.
Note: European Council is the informal forum for discussion between heads of state or government of the European Union (EU) member states.
About Antonio Costa:
i.Antonia Costa first became a Member of Parliament in 1991 and served as Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs in 1995.
ii.He has served as Minister for Parliamentary Affairs (1997); Minister of Justice(from 1999 to 2002).
iii.He was also elected as Mayor of Lisbon in 2007, 2009 and 2013.
iv.He has also served as Member and Vice President of the European Parliament (2004-2005) and Member of the European Committee of the Regions (2010 to 2015).
v.Antonio Costa is Nicknamed “Gandhi of Lisbon” for his frugal lifestyle and his Indian roots. He received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman from then President of India, Pranab Mukherjee. He also holds an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card.
EU Leaders Meeting:
EU leaders met in Brussels, Belgium on 27th & 28th June 2024 for the European Council and discussed the high level EU roles in the upcoming institutional cycle.
i.Elected António Costa President of the European Council.
ii.Ursula von der Leyen of Germany was nominated for a second 5-year term as President of the European Commission, the executive body of EU.
- She has been serving as the President of the European Commission since 2019. Her 5-year tenure is set to end in 2024.
iii.Kaja Kallas, the first woman PM of Estonia, has been chosen as the candidate for High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
Note:
i.The European Parliament will elect the President of the European Commission by a majority of its component members.
ii.The high representative will be appointed following the agreement of the president-elect of the European Commission.
Strategic agenda 2024-2029:
The EU leaders adopted the strategic agenda 2024-2029, a policy plan that establishes the EU’s directions and goals. The agenda is based on three pillars – a free and democratic Europe; a strong and secure Europe; and a prosperous and competitive Europe.
About European Council:
The European Council defines the general political direction and priorities of the European Union(EU).
It was established in 1974 as an informal forum, gained formal status in 1992 under the Treaty of Maastricht and became one of the seven EU institutions in 2009.
President– Charles Michel
Location– Brussels, Belgium.
Members– Heads of state or government of EU countries, European Council President, European Commission President
