On Monday, MEPs in the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs voted to endorse the appointment of Andrés Ritter as the next European Chief Prosecutor, the head of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO). He received 52 votes in favour of his appointment and 10 votes against, with 6 abstentions.
On 3 December 2025, four candidates shortlisted for the post presented themselves in a Q&A session with MEPs. After the hearing, MEPs voted on their preferences, with Mr Ritter emerging as their preferred candidate.
Background and next steps
Andrés Ritter was appointed Deputy European Chief Prosecutor at EPPO in November 2020. Before this, he held various roles in Germany’s prosecution service.
The European Chief Prosecutor is appointed by common agreement between Parliament and Council. Both institutions have preliminarily expressed their preference for Mr Ritter.
As a next step, the EP plenary will vote on the appointment in March 2026.
The incumbent, Laura Codruța Kövesi was the first-ever Chief Prosecutor when she was appointed in October 2019, and her seven-year term will end on 31 October 2026.
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