French President Emmanuel Macron. (Lionel Bonaventure/AFP via Getty Images)

Emmanuel Macron Wants Charismatic Men and Women to Lead Top EU Jobs

Met on Tuesday (5/28) after a European Union leaders summit in Brussels, French President Emmanuel Macron said that he wanted two men and two women who have strong personalities to be the leaders of the European Union in the next five years.

Macron said to have gender balance is important for him and the key for people at the most sensitive positions is those who share the same project, the most charismatic, creative, and competent as possible.

Tension rises between Macron and Angela Merkel over who should be the next chief of the European Commission. Merkel on the other side is supporting a German national of her own party, European lawmaker Manfred Weber. While the French President added that he wants leaders who get the top job at European Commission or European Council to be somebody who does not overshadow national leaders.

French officials said Weber has some problems which are his lack of experience at a top EU and national job, as well as the fact that he cannot speak French. However, Macron himself was not necessarily pushing a French national for the position, but it was an important requirement for the candidate to be a Francophile and speak French in order to reflect the language diversity in Europe.