Draghi to the European Commission and von der Leyen to NATO: the plan for 2024

Mario Draghi president of the European Commission and Ursula von der Leyen secretary general of NATO.
No, it's not a sunstroke but the situation that could emerge in a year according to the many rumors circulating in Brussels.
In fact, 2024 will be the year of major electoral events: the European elections and the presidential elections in the United States.
This is how the 47th occupant of the White House will be chosen next autumn and the president of the European Commission will be indicated.
At the same time, Jens Stoltenberg's mandate at the helm of NATO will expire: after the various extensions due to the war in Ukraine, the next twelve months should be the last of the former Norwegian president at the helm of the Atlantic Alliance.
So there have been rumors for some time now of a sort of domino effect regarding the two most prestigious seats in Brussels.
Mario Draghi, who recently returned to work in Europe, has recently been linked to both roles.
The latest rumours, however, would have Mario Draghi in pole position for Palazzo Berlaymont in the event that Ursula von der Leyen, whose position in the European Commission would no longer be rock-solid, decides to play her cards to lead NATO given also her excellent relations with Washington.
Draghi and von der Leyen: the domino of the seats On June 9th in Italy we will vote for the European elections.
According to the polls, despite a growth of the two right-wing groups – Ecr where there is Fratelli d'Italia and Id of the League – the so-called major Ursula (Popular, Socialists and Liberals) should maintain the majority.
A second mandate for Ursula von der Leyen, however, does not appear to be so obvious, with the current president of the European Commission who has long been described as eager to gain credibility in Washington as a reliable future secretary general of NATO.
Moreover, both on the war in Ukraine and on the more recent one in Israel, von der Leyen has always shown herself to be totally aligned with the White House, a way of exercising her mandate that has given impetus to the voices that would like her to be projected towards the leadership of the Atlantic Alliance.
Mario Draghi has also been indicated several times as being in the running for the role of secretary general of NATO; to hold this position, we remember that you must have been a head of government – or of a Commission – so much so that in the past there have also been rumors of a Matteo Renzi on track given his excellent relations with Joe Biden.
Draghi recently received the task, from the President of the Commission, of preparing a report on the future of European competitiveness.
A return after his farewell to Palazzo Chigi which for many was a sort of signal of his desire not to be a full-time "grandfather".
Mario Draghi's future could thus be in Brussels at the head of the European Commission: in the event of Ursula von der Leyen moving to NATO, his profile could be the right one to bring everyone to an agreement within the European Parliament, but everything will depend on what the outcome of the June vote will be.
read also 2024 European election polls: seat projections in Italy and the rest of the EU