The current President of the European Council has denounced what he considers to be “personal attacks”.
This withdrawal comes after the announcement, less than three weeks ago, that he would be the main candidate of his Belgian liberal party – the Reform Movement (MR) – in the European elections which will take place from June 6 to 9.
He denounced what he considers to be “personal attacks which increasingly take precedence over factual arguments”in a text published on Facebook on Friday.
“I will not be a candidate in the European elections”he adds, emphasizing his desire to exercise his current responsibilities “with determination” until their end.
Strong criticism expressed during its announcement
The surprise announcement by the current President of the European Council triggered strong criticism, sometimes from his own political camp. “The captain leaves the ship in the middle of a storm” thus launched Dutch MEP Sophie in ‘t Veld, from Renew Europe (centrists and liberals).
Belonging to the same generation of pro-European leaders as that of Emmanuel Macron or Luxembourger Xavier Bettel, Charles Michel was chosen in 2019 to succeed the Pole Donald Tusk at the head of the European Council.
Scheduled for June 6 to 9 in the 27 EU countries, the European elections will lead to a renewal of the leaders of the main EU institutions.
