German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on Wednesday for decisions on appointments to the European Union's most important posts to be implemented without delay, following agreement this week between conservatives, social democrats and liberals.
Addressing the German parliament in Berlin, Scholz said: "We cannot afford a deadlock in these difficult times." He added that the EU's citizens expected rapid action and not jockeying for positions.
The three major groups have agreed that Ursula von der Leyen should continue in office as European Commission president for a second term, and that Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas should be the bloc's new foreign policy head.
Former Portuguese prime minister António Costa should be the next European Council president, charged with preparing and chairing EU summits over the next two-and-a-half years.
"In my view, these are good appointments and clear decisions for a good European future," Scholz said in his government statement to the German parliament. The appointments are to be approved at an EU summit starting on Thursday, where approval is seen as certain.
Final confirmation for Von der Leyen's appointment depends on securing a majority in the European Parliament, where a vote is scheduled to take place in the third week of July at the earliest.
The vote, by secret ballot, is seen as the biggest obstacle. Von der Leyen has relatively many opponents in the parliament. In 2019, she secured just nine votes more than the necessary minimum.
The other members of the commission will be chosen later.
