European Union in crisis Weakened leaders raise risk of 'agonising decline'

It has become a wry joke in Brussels that the most stable country in the EU is Italy, once renowned for its succession of short-lived governments.

- Jennifer Rankin

France's Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Olaf Scholz have been humbled by punishing electoral defeats. Spain's prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, presides over a minority government in a country riven by a divisive amnesty bill. In Poland, Donald Tusk enjoys a much stronger position, but grapples with an unwieldy coalition and an opposition-allied president.

For EU insiders, a collection of weak governments, or just normal ones distracted by domestic woes, is no laughing matter.

Facing war in Ukraine, the possible re-election of Donald Trump and intense economic competition, current European leaders are not up to the job, critics argue. "We need now a very 'on top' Europe, which we're not having at the moment," said Bas Eickhout, who co-leads the Green group in the European parliament, not represented at the European Council table. "I don't see the leadership. I would not be capable of mentioning one head of state that I would say in a credible way could command that leadership."

With the leaders of France and Germany weighed down with domestic troubles, the spotlight has turned to Ursula von der Leyen, who is carving out a hyper presidential administration at the European Commission.

She is expected to begin a second term as commission president on 1 December, nearly six months after the European elections.