Greek PM reshuffles cabinet after worse than expected EU vote result
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reshuffled his cabinet on Friday to boost the government’s battle with a cost-of-living crisis, but kept his foreign and finance ministers in place to show policy continuity.
Mitsotakis in Brussels for informal meeting of EU leaders
Prime Ministesr Kyriakos Mitsotakis will be in Brussels on Monday, in order to participate in the work of the informal European Council, where, among other things, the results of the European elections will be discussed.
https://www.amna.gr/en/article/827630/Mitsotakis-in-Brussels-for-informal-meeting-of-EU-leaders
Election aftershocks dominate the agenda, focus on the center-left
The aftermath of the EU election results will continue to dominate the country’s political agenda, a week after the ballots showed that none of the big three parties reached their stated goals.
Greek-owned ship crew rescued, one mariner missing
The US Naval Forces Central Command announced Sunday the rescue of the crew, with one mariner still missing, from the Greek-owned M/V Tutor, a Liberian-flagged vessel, by sailors of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group following a Houthi attack in the Red Sea.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1241682/greek-owned-ship-crew-rescued-one-mariner-missing
ATHEX: French jitters affect Greek bourse too
The tremors on bourses at the heart of the eurozone reached the bloc’s outskirts too on Friday, with stocks at Athinon Avenue losing significant ground and the benchmark taking a nosedive to a two-month low, on a day of increased turnover due to the extensive sell-off. If the upcoming parliamentary election in France generates more uncertainty there, the effects will also be felt in Greece.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1241575/athex-french-jitters-affect-greek-bourse-too
SUNDAY PAPERS
KATHIMERINI: The euro-ballot earthquake
TO VIMA: The result of the euro elections change the political scenery: disruption and backstage scheming
REAL NEWS: Overhaul in taxation planned by the government
PROTO THEMA: The plunge of parties’ rates set the political scenery on fire
AVGI: Scenarios about Mitsotakis’ possible “escape”
MONDAY PAPERS:
TA NEA: The French threat and Greece: Are we in danger?
EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON: Guerilla wars inside all political parties
KONTRA NEWS: Former SYRIZA leader Tsipras and Athens Mayor Doukas are going to be the catalysts regarding the developments in the center-left
DIMOKRATIA: Provocations by Albanians at the Euro football cup in Germany
NAFTEMPORIKI: Raters to introduce new evaluation criteria for banks
EU TOP JOBS RACE
AND JUST LIKE THAT, IT WAS (ALMOST) OVER: It’s time to fire the European Union’s script-writers. While French politics is putting on a show that’s part-farce, part-thriller and 100 percent must-see TV (catch up here), the EU is cruising toward a finale that is not exactly a jaw-dropper.
Why? As my colleague Barbara Moens reports, EU leaders gathering in Brussels today for an informal meeting are already very close to a consensus on the following line-up: Ursula von der Leyen for Commission president, former Portuguese PM António Costa for Council president and Estonian PM Kaja Kallas for high representative.
What happened? Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, Germany’s Olaf Scholz and France’s Emmanuel Macron huddled on the sidelines of the G7 conference in Bari, Italy late last week, where they discussed top jobs.
Scholz then delivered this spoiler: “There is every indication that Ursula von der Leyen will be able to serve a second term.”
Berlin’s nod: “As you know, the government I lead has made this possible in its own coalition agreement,” Scholz added. “In this respect, I believe it is now a matter of bringing everything together very quickly and coherently. And we will succeed.” Read more here.
Hours of exposition: A larger group of EU leaders got a chance to chew over the top three names on the sidelines of the weekend’s Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland, attended by POLITICO’s Veronika Melkozerova (more on that below).
In case any doubt remained, one EU diplomat told Playbook via WhatsApp on Sunday evening: “There’s a clear consensus emerging, absolutely. Imagine a deal in principle could be reached tomorrow.”
Today’s meeting could even end early: Leaders are due to begin arriving for the meeting from 5 p.m., with their working session scheduled for 6:30 p.m. France is playing Austria in the UEFA Championship from 9 p.m. If history is any guide, Macron will ensure he’s in front of a TV screen by then, which suggests the names could leak well before kickoff.
Predictable? Let’s put it this way: We called the ending at Season 1, Episode 4. We’re now on Season 3, Episode 10. Little has changed. And there’s good reason why: In the feng shui balancing act that is the EU top jobs game, von der Leyen, Costa and Kallas almost ideally cover the map in terms of political affiliation, geographic distribution and gender balance.
Finding an alternate team isn’t easy. Hence the stubborn consensus around von der Leyen and Costa. Kallas generated quite a bit more debate, but in recent weeks has gathered broad support after assurances were given that she would focus not just on Ukraine and Russia but also on the EU’s southern neighborhood.
Of course, anything can happen … The writers of the EU top jobs show could still deliver an earth-shattering twist. Spirited opposition to Kallas could burst forth from the EU’s Russia-friendly contingent (Hungary, Slovakia). A serious challenge to Costa could arise from the law-and-order scolds of Northern Europe … although one EU diplomat from the region told Playbook they “have not heard” of plans to oppose the ex-Portuguese prime minister. And Meloni remains a “what if?” factor. According to the first diplomat, the Italian PM may use coming weeks to “strengthen her position in the EP [European Parliament] in order to gain leverage” for a Commission vice president from her ECR grouping.
But does anyone really expect an upset? No. The show is rumbling toward its climax with all the grim finality of an SNCB train pulling into Gare du Midi. Thank goodness for Charles Michel: Without his last-minute trial balloon for Mitsotakis-Frederiksen, the whole thing would have been a snoozer.
Now read this: Chew over this round-up of the probes targeting von der Leyen and Costa, by Playbook alumnus Jakob Hanke Vela.
BELGIAN TREATS AT EUCO: If you’re around the European Council’s press area, look out for Belgian presidency spokesperson Alexandre Brecx, who is celebrating his birthday today by treating the EU’s press pack with (what did you expect?) Belgian chocolate.
UKRAINE PEACE SUMMIT
TRUMP, PUTIN RAIN ON ZELENSKYY’S SUMMIT: Eighty-two out of 101 participants in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s peace conference in Switzerland backed a final statement supporting Kyiv’s territorial integrity, Veronika Melkozerova reports. But despite that win for Ukraine, Russia’s ghost loomed over the summit — as did Donald Trump’s shadow.
Achievement unlocked: Discussions in Switzerland over the weekend focused on three issues of a 10-point proposal shopped around by Zelenskyy on which there was broad consensus: nuclear safety, food security and the return of prisoners of war and abducted children and civilians to Ukraine.
Not there yet: But the absence of Russia and China, as well as the prospect of Trump returning to the White House in November, cast a pall over the Swiss gathering. A day before the conference’s opening, Russia’s Vladimir Putin had proposed a so-called peace plan that was more of an ultimatum for Ukraine. Moscow said it would cease hostilities if Kyiv abandoned any claim to four regions that remain within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders.
Trump trolls: As leaders rounded out talks in Switzerland on Sunday, Trump thumbed his nose at them. During a campaign rally in Detroit, Michigan, the Republican presidential candidate called Zelenskyy “the world’s greatest salesman” because of his efforts to enlist international support for Ukraine’s resistance against Russian aggression. “He just left four days ago with $60 billion, and he gets home, and he announces that he needs another $60 billion. It never ends,” Trump said.
Despite the trolling, Zelenskyy and U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan were upbeat about the summit’s outcome. “This summit is a tremendous success,” said Sullivan. “You’ve managed to gather the whole world.” (Reminder: Sullivan and Vice President Kamala Harris represented Washington at the Swiss summit, while President Joe Biden skipped the conference to campaign in the U.S.)
Next steps: It’s unclear. Von der Leyen, who was present, said peace in Ukraine would be a “journey.” Zelenskyy said Ukrainians would keep trying to enlist Russia-friendly countries as intermediaries. “We need the support of the vast majority of the world to put pressure on Russia to end this war,” he said. Read more in Veronika’s full report here.
NATO FRETS ABOUT FRANCE
STOLTENBERG’S APPEAL: With two weeks to go before a French election in which the NATO-skeptic far right could win the most votes, the alliance’s outgoing Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg appealed to France to play its part to “keep NATO strong.”
What he said: “There is an ongoing election campaign in France now, and I will not be part of that domestic discussion,” Stoltenberg said in an interview with POLITICO’s Stuart Lau. “What I can say is that I strongly believe it is in the interest of France, and all the allies, to keep NATO strong, because we live in a more dangerous world.”
The threats are real: A victory for the National Rally poses grave security concerns for the West. Its presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has pledged to pull France — one of only three nuclear powers in the alliance — out of NATO’s integrated command. Jordan Bardella, who is likely to be the next prime minister if National Rally wins the snap election, has also told POLITICO his party would pull back from NATO commitments, though he said it would wait for the war in Ukraine to end before doing so.
Shooting back at Russia pacifists: Stoltenberg had this message for those sympathetic to the Kremlin: “If we really want a peaceful negotiated solution, the best way of achieving that is to provide military support to Ukraine.” Read Stuart’s full interview.
Last 100-ish days in the top job: Stoltenberg said he’s “absolutely certain” there will be a new secretary-general on October 2 — even though three of the 32 allies still refuse to back outgoing Dutch PM Mark Rutte for the role. “I’m very confident that the alliance will find a good successor,” said Stoltenberg.
Unfinished business: There are two things, both Ukraine-related, still on Stoltenberg’s agenda. “My main task now is to finish the preparations for the NATO summit where we’ll make important decisions,” he said. And he’ll implement NATO’s new role coordinating military assistance to Ukraine — which is a big deal, since it takes over what has since the war been exclusively Washington’s job.
IN OTHER NEWS
QATARGATE UPDATE: Belgian authorities have dropped their investigation into the Moroccan suspects linked to the European Parliament’s so-called Qatargate corruption scandal, Le Soir reports. Belgium won’t charge diplomat Abderrahim Atmoun and Moroccan secret service agent Mohamed Belahrech, despite in April telling Rabat they were suspected of corruption, money-laundering and participating in a criminal organization. Le Soir reports Belgium has decided to leave it up to Moroccan authorities to deal with their nationals.
AUSTRIAN MINISTER OKs NATURE RESTORATION: An Austrian minister has defied her coalition partners to back the EU’s nature restoration law, potentially tipping the balance at the European level, Louise Guillot reports. Ministers are due to discuss the law today in Luxembourg and hold a final vote. Austria’s vote could be decisive in permitting the nature restoration bill to go forth. Stay tuned.
COMMISSION HOLDS BACK MELONI REPORT: Ursula von der Leyen has sought to slow down an official EU report criticizing Italy for eroding media freedoms, my colleague Clothilde Goujard reports. “According to four officials, a Commission investigation highlights a clampdown on free media in Italy since far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took office in 2022. The annual report assessing how EU countries respect the rule of law was expected to be approved on July 3 but would be delayed until the new Commission president is appointed, two officials said.”
WHY YOUNG VOTERS ARE TURNING TO THE RIGHT: Is it housing prices? The blowback effect of COVID isolation? TikTok? Immigration? In an analysis with Victor Goury-Laffont, your Playbook author delves into the reasons why so many young voters voted for far-right parties during the European Parliament election. Read it here.
COLBY LASHES OUT OVER SCHOLZ REMARK: A former Trump-era senior Pentagon official questioned Sunday whether German Chancellor Olaf Scholz “really knows what he’s talking about in the American context” after he offered strong praise for Joe Biden at last week’s G7 summit. Elbridge Colby — who served as the deputy assistant secretary of defense for strategy and force development from 2017 to 2018 and is poised for a major national security role if Donald Trump is elected again — posted on X: “I think staying out of each other’s elections is better.” Isabella Ramirez has the story.