French President Emmanuel Macron said that the nominations for the European Union’s top posts were the result of efforts to build consensus between nations and political groups.
Macron defended the decision to appoint German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen to head up the Commission and IMF chief Christine Lagarde as the new European Central Bank governor.
On acting Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, who was elected European Council President, Macron said he valued the fact that he originated from a country that is “a member of the euro zone and of the Schengen area”.
Macron added that Europe should not be scared of a no-deal Brexit, but were Britain’s new leadership to ask for an extension beyond October 31 it would have to provide something new to justify it.