The publication on European affairs Politico believes that the incumbent president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, is on the list of possible replacements for Ursula von der Leyen, although she is still the favorite.
Iohannis is considered a potential contender with favorable odds as he is “respected” by European leaders, particularly conservatives, and Romania demonstrated “exemplary” conduct in the region amid the Ukraine war and its ensuing crises.
Klaus Iohannis is the fourth name on Politico’s list, rated with a 1 in 5 chance of succeeding Ursula von der Leyen.
The President of Romania is seen as an exponent of stability and a “favorite” of European leaders, especially the conservative ones – both President Macron and Chancellor Scholz have long praised him for keeping his country firmly anchored in the pro camp -European and pro-Western, in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine – something that cannot be said about Hungary, Slovakia or Bulgaria, writes Politico.
Moreover, the publication argues, unlike Poland, Romania strictly followed the rules of the European common market and did not choose to impose unilateral restrictions on Ukrainian grains, a fact that strengthened Iohannis’ reputation as a “team player” pro- European.
In addition to all this, there would be the regional argument – many argue that the time has come for an Eastern European leader to lead the European Union.
Iohannis, a German speaker, would also be well positioned from this point of view and comes from the same political family as Ursula von der Leyen.
The EPP’s decision to organize its congress in Bucharest also shows the favorable position of European leaders towards Iohannis and Romania, writes Politico.
The counter argument offered by Politico is that Iohannis would have irritated some European countries with the announcement of his “candidacy” for NATO.
The post Politico: Klaus Iohannis Potential Candidate for European Commission Chief appeared first on The Romania Journal.
