EU President Michel withdraws from European Parliament elections

EU Council President Charles Michel has withdrawn his candidacy for June's European elections following widespread criticism of his intentions in Brussels.

Earlier this month Michel announced he wanted to run, meaning he would relinquish his position as president. The announcement caused a stir given Hungary will take over the rotating presidency of the EU Council in July.

If there had been no agreement on Michel's successor beforehand, the European Council - the body of EU heads of state - would initially have been chaired by Hungarian Prime Minister and EU agitator Viktor Orbán.

Critics therefore accused former Belgian prime minister Michel of prioritizing personal interests over that of the European Union.

Michel wrote on Facebook on Friday: "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."

He said he accepted criticism but some of the comments had gone too far.

"Personal attacks are increasingly taking precedence over factual arguments," he wrote.

Michel has been the butt of jokes in Europe for years as he vies with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who many believe holds the real power.

At a meeting in 2021 with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Michel took the only available chair instead allowing von der Leyen to use it - an episode that became a famous internet meme.

His mandate as EU Council president ends on November 30 in any case. He has open the option of running for the European Parliament at a later date.

"At the end of this mandate, I will reflect on the nature and direction of my future commitments," he said.