European Council President Charles Michel suddenly "scheduled" to resign

European Council President Charles Michel will step down after running for EP in June. (Source: AP)

AFP reported that speaking to Belgian media, the 48-year-old politician said that he will lead the list of candidates of the Reform Movement (MR) party to run in the EP election next June. Mr. Charles Michel is a former Belgian Prime Minister and also a former MR president.

Mr. Michel will continue to serve as President of the European Council until he is sworn in as an EP MEP on July 16.

As President of the European Council, Mr. Michel's main tasks are to chair European Union (EU) summits, which are important forums for the 27 member states to agree on a common response to crises ranging from the Coivd-19 pandemic to the conflict in neighboring Ukraine.

The next meeting of the European Council will take place immediately after the EP elections are completed. According to Mr. Michel, the council will decide when his successor will take office.

The EP elections are scheduled to take place from June 6-9 in 27 member states, electing a total of 720 parliamentarians and also the beginning of intense negotiations to find the heads of EU agencies.

Mr Michel's surprise announcement has fuelled speculation ahead of negotiations to choose the next EU leader, which are due to begin in November 2024.

So far, European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen has not officially informed about her plans after the end of her current term. She took office in 2019.