European Parliament President Charles Michel has abandoned plans to resign early and run for the European Parliament over concerns that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán could take the job.
His decision came six days before a tense meeting of EU leaders where Prime Minister Orbán is expected to block another 50 billion euro aid package for Ukraine.
EU leaders are considering triggering a mechanism to strip Hungary of its voting rights.
Three weeks ago, Michel announced he would run for parliament in Belgium, where he was once prime minister.
In a statement posted on Facebook on Friday, he said he had reconsidered following “intensive media attention” and “extreme reactions” from outside the European institutions.
His decision sparked speculation that Mr Orbán could mistakenly become president from July if member states were unable to quickly find a successor.
Under normal circumstances, the leadership of the EU's main institutions would be decided after the European elections in June.
The process could take months, and EU treaty rules state that in the absence of a new president, a country with a six-month rotating presidency will take over.
Hungary was due to take over as president in the second half of this year, which would have handed power to Mr. Orbán.
“We do not want this decision to be used to distract from our mission, to undermine this institution or the European project, or to divide the European Council,” Michel said.
The president's role includes chairing European Council meetings and brokering agreements between member states, including the current fight to get Hungary to support Ukraine support measures.
On Friday, sources familiar with these negotiations said that Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán will be meeting next Thursday when an extraordinary meeting of EU leaders will be held to discuss the issue, which was shelved after the Hungarian prime minister rejected financial aid. He said he once again made it appear as though he intended to block the funds. Kiev at the last summit in December. Officials say member states' patience is being tested to the breaking point, and if no breakthrough is made in the next six days, the other 26 member states could move to completely strip Hungary of its voting rights. It is said that there is.
Diplomatic sources said EU leaders felt they had to stop what they saw as “blackmail”.
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“They think that if they go along with Orbán this time, it will happen again. Next time it might be about immigration, interest rates… It's about survival.”
“The level of dissatisfaction is much higher than it was in December,” said one diplomat.
Article 7 of the EU Treaty allows member states to block other countries from voting, but a month ago this was considered a “last resort” and not a viable option.
But insiders say this is becoming a reality unless Prime Minister Viktor Orbán can change his mind over the next six days.
Mr Michel has called leaders, including Mr Orbán, 13 times in the past two days, and a number of “Sherpas” have also visited Budapest to try to persuade Hungarian leaders to align with other EU member states. It is said that
