Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is a leading candidate for European Council president as EU leaders step up negotiations over the key post in the run-up to a Brussels summit Saturday, according to various media reports.
Tusk has emerged as clear favorite for the top job, according to several sources cited by Reuters. The news agency said his appointment would confirm Poland’s rise as a major player in the EU.
Britain?s Financial Times reported that the contest for European Council president was a two-horse race between Tusk and Danish center-left Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt.
Tusk, a center-right, pro-European politician, is believed by many to be the frontrunner for the EU position and is supported by Germany, Britain and France, the FT said.
The paper added that the appointment of Tusk as successor to Herman Van Rompuy would send a strong signal to Moscow. Poland has been one of the strongest advocates of sanctions against Russia over its involvement in the Ukraine crisis.
Source: www.warsawvoice.pl
