In two hours, the LIBE Committee will vote on the new European Chief Prosecutor, the key institution responsible for combating fraud involving EU funds. According to Atlas News sources in the European Parliament, the main favourite is German prosecutor Andrés Ritter, currently Deputy Chief Prosecutor at the EPPO.
Context & procedure
• The mandate of the current chief, Laura Codruța Kövesi, expires in 2026, and EPPO rules state that the position cannot be renewed.
• Applications have been submitted, and the selection process continued with public hearings before the legal committees of the European Parliament and the Council of the EU.
Who are the candidates
The shortlist includes four candidates: Andrés Ritter (Germany), Ingrid Maschl-Clausen (Austria), Stefano Castellani (Italy), and Emilio Jesús Sánchez Ulled (Spain).
• The frontrunner is Andreas Ritter, with sources saying he has “a slight lead.” He is Deputy Prosecutor at the EPPO, with over 25 years of experience in Germany, specialising in economic crimes and fraud involving EU funds.
• Another major candidate is Ingrid Maschl-Clausen, former EPPO prosecutor with experience in inter-institutional judicial cooperation within the EU.
• Next in line are Stefano Castellani and Emilio Sánchez Ulled — the Italian and Spanish candidates are not currently considered favourites.
What the election of a German would actually mean
Choosing Andrés Ritter could signal continuity for the EPPO in its focus on combating fraud and economic abuse, with leadership grounded in solid experience in economic criminal law — possibly a clear indication that the institution will maintain a firm anti-corruption stance.
On the other hand, the decision would likely reflect the influence of legal groups from Germany and from the EU’s centre-right bloc (some voices suggest he is backed from that political area), which could spark political reactions, especially from states that favoured candidates from the South or East.
Why the Spanish / Southern European candidacies appear weak
Although Emilio Jesús Sánchez Ulled represents Southern European interests, current circumstances suggest that experience and a strong European-level track record weigh more heavily — reducing the chances of candidates from Spain or Italy. The selection policies, as well as the balance of power within EU judicial institutions, seem to favour a professional with a German economic-judicial background rather than representatives of Southern European judicial systems.
