Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, commended former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa for his exemplary leadership at the European Council, highlighting his serious approach to his role and dismissing any claims of power interference in international European representation. In an interview with Lusa and other agencies during the plenary session in Strasbourg, she stated, “I have been collaborating with President Costa for a long time, since his tenure as Prime Minister, and his management of the European Council is outstanding.”
She continued, “He takes his responsibilities seriously, which is appreciated by the heads of government and state within the European Council. They value having someone they can collaborate with, especially someone who has experience in this Parliament, having been a member and vice-president, and understands the institutional dynamics.”
When asked about criticisms regarding the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen representing the EU at high diplomatic levels instead of António Costa, Metsola disagreed with the notion of any power interference. There are concerns in Brussels regarding why von der Leyen occasionally takes on this role, particularly highlighted during diplomatic discussions in Washington last August concerning a ceasefire in Ukraine.
“Just last week, I had breakfast with all the ambassadors. My foundational experience is with the Council, where I spent a decade, and I can assure you that the atmosphere is positive, it is functioning well, and is under effective management,” Metsola remarked to Lusa and other European Newsroom agencies. “That is clear and evident,” she concluded.
António Costa commenced his two-and-a-half-year term as President of the European Council on December 1, 2024, marking him as the first socialist and Portuguese to hold this position. Ursula von der Leyen, of the center-right, began her second term at the helm of the EU executive in December and is set to deliver her first speech on the State of the Union for the new legislature this Wednesday, marking the fifth such address in her European journey.
The President of the European Council is currently visiting EU Member States until the end of next week to discuss the war in Ukraine, the community budget, and trade partnerships.
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