Brussels, June 28 (IANS) The European Council summit has agreed to formally nominate Germany’s Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as president of the European Commission.

European Council President Charles Michel confirmed the nomination on social media platform X.

In addition to von der Leyen’s nomination, EU leaders agreed to elect former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa as President of the European Council, while nominating Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas as the EU’s foreign policy chief, Xinhua news agency reported.

“It is with a strong sense of mission that I will take up the responsibility of being the next President of the European Council,” Costa stated on X. He added that he is fully committed to promoting unity among all 27 member states and focused on implementing the strategic agenda for the next five years approved at the summit.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni voted against Costa and Kallas while she abstained on von der Leyen’s re-appointment. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban voted against von der Leyen, in favour of Costa and abstained on Kallas, Euronews reported, citing diplomatic sources.

–IANS

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