Romanian MEP Adrian Severin To Run For EU High Representative For Foreign Policy – Press

As a former deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister, Severin’s bid must be taken very seriously, the website wrote. Severin is seen as an outstanding MEP, given his position as foreign policy vice-chairman for the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament. He also held high positions in the U.N., the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Council of Europe and the Convention on the Future of Europe.

Romania’s strategy appears to be based on the assumption that the position of president of the Council of Europe will be filled by a representative of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), which makes it more likely for a socialist to fill the position of high representative, the website wrote.

„There are in fact only two serious candidates: [UK Foreign Secretary David] Miliband and Severin,” an S&D group insider told EurActiv, ruling out other center-left candidacies such as former German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, former Italian Prime Minister Giuliano Amato and former French Minister Elisabeth Guigou.

The Lisbon Treaty, which still needs to be ratified by the Czech Republic, creates two new prominent positions alongside that of European Commission president: a permanent president of the EU Council and a High Representative for Foreign Policy, who will also be EU Commissioner for External Affairs.