MEPs on the European Parliament’s civil liberties committee have backed Andrés Ritter to become the next European Chief Prosecutor, with 52 votes in favour, 10 against and six abstentions.
The vote took place on Monday in the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, which questioned four shortlisted candidates in a Q&A session on 3 December 2025 before ranking its preferred choice, the Parliament announced.
Ritter has been Deputy European Chief Prosecutor at the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) since November 2020, after working in Germany’s prosecution service in a range of roles.
EPPO is the EU body that investigates and prosecutes crimes affecting the EU budget, such as fraud and corruption.
What happens next
The European Chief Prosecutor is appointed by agreement between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, with both institutions having already indicated a preference for Ritter, the Parliament said.
The full European Parliament is due to vote on the appointment in March 2026.
The current Chief Prosecutor, Laura Codruța Kövesi, was appointed in October 2019 for a seven-year term that ends on 31 October 2026.
