European Council President Charles Michel is reportedly planning to run for a seat in the European Parliament during the June elections, as per Belgian media. Should he secure a position in the Parliament, he would vacate his current role as the head of the EU body that convenes the bloc’s leaders. Michel indicated to Le Soir and De Standaard that discussions among EU leaders could then follow to determine his successor, potentially by the end of June or early August.

Expressing the importance of the 2024 elections in Europe and globally, Michel revealed his intention to lead the liberal Belgian Reformist Movement (MR) party’s list in the upcoming June 9 elections. He highlighted the critical juncture faced by the European project, emphasizing the necessity to reinforce European democracy’s legitimacy. Michel conveyed his desire to actively contribute to the team working on advancing the European project while ensuring that his campaign efforts would not compromise his duties in coordinating EU summits.

Having assumed the role of European Council President in December 2019, the 48-year-old is expected to continue until the new members of the European Parliament are sworn in on July 16, following which, if elected, he plans to step down. However, his tenure has been somewhat overshadowed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who commenced her term concurrently.