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Audio Review - South Caucasus News

Von der Leyen nominated to stay on in top EU job


EU leaders have nominated current European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen for a second five-year term in the bloc’s top job at a summit in Brussels, the BBC reports.

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas was picked as the EU’s next foreign affairs chief and former Portuguese prime minister António Costa was chosen as the next chairman of EU summits.

All three candidates are from centrist, pro-EU factions.

The European Parliament is due to vote on the nominations next month.

Ursula von der Leyen is from Germany’s centre-right, António Costa is a socialist and Kaja Kallas a liberal.

There had been resistance from Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni.

Before the summit she said the plans ignored the successes of hard-right parties like her own in the recent elections for the European Parliament.

Ms Meloni abstained from the vote for Ms von der Leyen and voted against Mr Costa and Ms Kallas.