"The European Peoples Party demands the continuation of Ursula von der Leyen's term of office,"  Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a statement at the informal European Council in Brussels.

As Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said, "The European People's Party comes to Brussels as the winner of the European elections and rightfully claims the continuation of Ursula von der Leyen's presidency of the European Commission.

Beyond that, of course, the issues we will be discussing are not only about the distribution of seats but also about the substantive policies that the European Union should implement in the next five years.

And I find it extremely encouraging that the main agenda of the European People's Party, as it will hopefully be expressed through the new President of the Commission, Mrs. Van, puts a very strong emphasis on issues of the competitiveness of the European economy, on issues of migration, on issues of the common defence policy, but also on how the green transition will not ultimately harm our farmers, our stockbreeders, and our fishermen.

The debate that will take place, as I said, is not just about people but primarily about policies.

So I am cautiously optimistic that we will be able to conclude this debate today and have positive news after the Council.".