In Ireland, there are calls to abolish the veto power in the EU – Euractiv

Ireland’s ruling party, Fianna Fáil, has called for the launch of a reform to abolish the national veto right in EU decision-making on foreign policy. They plan to actively promote this initiative over the next six months, while Ireland holds the presidency of the Council of the EU. 

This was stated in a declaration by influential MEP Billy Kelleher, who linked the need for institutional changes to the bloc’s future expansion and past negative experiences with blackmail by former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The politician emphasized that in today’s world, it is unacceptable for a single country to be able to single-handedly block decisions of the entire union for its own benefit.

Abandoning the principle of unanimity in favor of a qualified majority has long been a priority for the Renew Europe faction, of which Kelleher is a member. As early as September, the European Commission plans to present an official proposal on the governance of an expanded EU as part of preparations for the accession of new members. Germany and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen actively support the abolition of the veto, as it would allow for the more rapid implementation of sanctions and financial aid to other countries. At the same time, the idea faces resistance from many smaller member states, which fear that their national interests will be completely disregarded.

This was reported by the pan-European analytical publication Euractiv.

On July 1, 2026, Ireland officially began its six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union, taking over this role from Cyprus. Over the next six months, the country will coordinate the work of the EU Council and promote key European initiatives.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Cyprus for its successful presidency of the Council of the European Union, during which Ukraine officially began negotiations on accession to the European Union. At the same time, the head of state congratulated Ireland on the start of its presidency, expressing his expectation of rapid progress in the integration processes as early as July.