By Andrew Gray
BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Charles Michel, the president of the council of European Union leaders, on Friday abandoned a run for a seat in the European Parliament in the face of criticism that the move would have undermined his current role at a crucial time.
The U-turn is an embarrassment for Michel, a former Belgian prime minister, and is certain to raise questions about his judgment - less than a week before he chairs a summit meant to produce a deal on vital wartime financial aid for Ukraine.
Michel's reversal came just a few weeks after he announced he would run in June's European Parliament election - a move that sparked criticism as it meant he would have to leave his post several months before its official end on Nov. 30.
That raised the prospect of the European Council of EU leaders being chaired by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who maintains ties to Moscow, has blocked the Ukraine aid plan and is accused of democratic backsliding by EU lawmakers.
His move also raised questions about potential conflicts of interest as he would have been running as a candidate of his liberal party in an election campaign while acting of chairman of a council of leaders from different political groups.
In a lengthy statement on Facebook (NASDAQ:META) announcing his volte-face, Michel, who is 48, said he would now stay in post as president of the European Council until the end of his term.
"I will not be a candidate in the European elections. I will devote all my efforts to my current responsibilities with steadfast determination until they come to an end," said Michel, who has been in his current post since 2019.
He defended his original decision to run in the election, saying it had been compatible with his current responsibilities. But he said the criticism had prompted him to think again.
"I don’t want this decision to distract us from our mission or undermine this institution and our European project nor be misused in any way to divide the European Council, which I believe must work tirelessly for European unity," he said.
Michel's U-turn came as a surprise as the public criticism -which came mainly from some EU lawmakers, academics and commentators - had died down in the weeks after his initial announcement.
"I will always be a fervent advocate of a Europe that is democratic, strong, united and master of its own destiny," Michel said. "At the end of this mandate, I will reflect on the nature and direction of my future commitments."