Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has expressed his support for German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen's who has been nominated for the post of the European Commission president.
Nausėda said on Twitter that he had a phone call with the candidate on Sunday.
“Sunday began with an important call with @vonderleyen regarding the future of @EU_Commission. I express my support for her candidacy,” he tweeted.
The president's office said in a press release that Nausėda and von der Leyen spoke in German.
The president also brought up the subject of “the composition of the European Commissioners' portfolios and the need to increase their responsibilities in dealing with key EU issues”, according to the press release.
After marathon talks, EU leaders nominated von der Leyen for the Commission presidency last week.
The European Parliament is expected to vote on her candidacy on Tuesday. If she wins the vote, von der Leyen will take over the reins at the Commission on November 1.
Nausėda, who took office last Friday, said during the election campaign that he would seek to continue the tradition of Lithuania being represented at EU summits by the president, rather than by the prime minister.
