European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans is to run for the Dutch premiership, local media reported on Thursday.
Mr Timmermans, 62, has been 10 years in Brussels and aims to lead a newly formed coalition between his centre-left Labour, or PvdA, and GroenLinks, or Green-Left, parties ahead of parliamentary elections in November.
“I want to became prime minister, because I think together we can do politics differently than how it had been done in the past few years,” Mr Timmermans told the NOS public broadcaster.
“I have told the parties that I would like to be the top candidate on their electoral list.”
Mr Timmermans has informed the EU Commission's President Ursula von der Leyen of his decision, a representative told The National by email.
The representative clarified that this does not mean he will have to leave his position immediately.
“At this stage, the executive vice president's candidacy remains hypothetical, as it is now subject to an internal party process,” the representative said.
“Pending the conclusion of this process, there is no impact on his availability as member of the college and he continues his work as executive vice president for the European Green Deal.”
Mr Timmermans is in charge of the EU's Green Deal – its wide-ranging package of policies on climate change and the environment.
He has played a key role in the build-up to Cop28 and in EU legislation aimed at achieving the continent's carbon neutrality by 2050.
The commission's code of conduct specifies that a member must withdraw from their role for the entire period of active implication in a national political campaign.
Along with EU energy and environment ministers, Mr Timmermans held a meeting last week in Spain with Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and President-designate of Cop28.
“I know that he’s ambitious. I know that he wants to take us forward,” Mr Timmermans said of Dr Al Jaber.
“I know that he’s also going to be very clear on reducing unabated fossil fuels which is an important element of getting us to net zero. I know that he also has clear ideas on adaptation, on finance, on loss and damage.”
Mr Timmermans is a well-known figure in the Netherlands, having served as foreign minister from 2012 to 2014 in the previous cabinet of departing Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
He had been tipped as a top candidate to lead the Dutch parties following his campaign for European social democrats in the 2019 election, which was widely regarded as a success.
Mr Timmermans, who speaks English, German, French, Italian and Russian in addition to his native Dutch, is known as a skilled negotiator during international climate negotiations.
How well Mr Timmermans will perform in Dutch politics is an open question, but in a poll published on Thursday, 39 per cent of Dutch voters said they trusted him to lead the next government.
Agencies contributed to this report
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A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
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Results
1.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Al Suhooj, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)
2pm Handicap (TB) 68,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner Miracle Maker, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
2.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Mazagran, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
3pm Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
3.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Alla Mahlak, Adrie de Vries, Rashed Bouresly
4pm Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Hurry Up, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,200m
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
