Taoiseach Simon Harris may have experienced some anxiety as the doors to the European Council summit closed on Wednesday evening. This summit, an assembly of the leaders from the 27 EU countries without any officials or advisers present, is a considerable leap from the familiar setting of the Government Buildings’ Cabinet table. Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, and council president Charles Michel, who moderates the meetings, also attend. In the intricate and oftentimes rivalrous world of the EU institutions, the council serves as the mouthpiece of the member states, represented by their respective national government heads. EU summits are considered high stakes politics, or as the Irish political phrasebook would put it, “senior hurling.”
Historically, these events have been the setting of intense episodes, such as the strenuous negotiations with left-wing Greek leader Alexis Tsipras about bailout packages for Greece during the euro zone crisis. Following the United Kingdom’s decision to exit the EU, the then-serving Prime Minister, Conservative Theresa May, appeared forlorn and cut off at council meetings. During the peak of Brexit negotiations, May was obliged to dine alone while her counterparts from the other 27 nations discussed their stance over the dinner table. Angela Merkel always held a dominant position during her tenure as German chancellor, creating an atmosphere where when she spoke, the room listened.
Most recently, Viktor Orban was an obstacle in achieving consensus at the council table. During a session last December, the Hungarian leader blocked a €50 billion aid package intended to assist Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, causing a two-month delay until a compromise was reached. During that same session, the proposed initiation of discussions regarding Ukraine joining the EU also seemed headed for a stalemate. A solution was found by having Orban temporarily excuse himself from the meeting, allowing the other 26 leaders to come to a unanimous decision and greenlight the proposition.
As for first-timers at these summits, some leaders choose to remain unobtrusive, while others make strides to establish their presence. An example of the latter is that of Giorgia Meloni; the right-wing Italian prime minister made a bold statement at her initial meeting, hinting—on an EU level at least—that she would not necessarily ally herself with Orban.
International relations, including the aftermath of Iranian missile strikes against Israel, the Gaza conflict, and the EU’s ties with Turkey, were expected to be the focal point of Wednesday evening’s council conversation over dinner. Thursday’s meeting is meant to consider strategies to enhance the EU’s economic competition.
A considerable amount of the main tenets to be agreed upon are pre-discussed in meetings by officials and ambassadors prior to the summit. Hence, the “conclusions” declared at the end are somewhat pre-drafted. Regardless, it is normally still a challenging task to ensure everyone’s full endorsement of the text.
Personal relations between leaders, which may contradict or overlap with the geographical or political connections, can be crucial to secure support in the room for or against a motion. Micheál Martin was known for his good rapport with Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Michel. Despite their political contrasts, it is believed that Leo Varadkar maintained a fairly good professional relationship with Orban.
In this aspect, Harris needs to build rapport with others. He had a meeting with von der Leyen, Michel, along with some other leaders the past week. His individual meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez last Friday in Dublin would have been critical to align their views since Spain and Ireland have shared perspectives on Gaza and the recognition of the state of Palestine.
Ideologically, Harris being part of the European People’s Party (EPP) like Fine Gael puts him and von der Leyen amongst nearly a dozen national leaders of the same centre-right affiliation.
Another lesser-known pre-summit meeting that likely provided Harris with additional opportunities to acclimatise involves the Nordic and Baltic nations along with Ireland and Poland. Increasingly, this group has managed to influence issues where they share a stance, in an attempt to provide a counterweight to the traditional power of France and Germany during council summits.