After weeks of political battles, Ursula von der Leyen presented her new college of European commissioners on Tuesday, which includes the Spanish Teresa Ribera in ecological transitionan ally of Italian Giorgia Meloni and 40 percent women, with the focus on the bloc’s competitiveness.
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Von der Leyen, who is facing her second term as president of the EU’s executive arm, presented its list of commissioners – one for each of the 27 Member States – at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France.
The commissioners proposed by the German conservative leader They will still have to undergo hearings before MEPs on a date yet to be set, and a vote of approval before taking up their duties. In some cases, the examination is predicted to be complicated.
One of them is Italian Raffaele FittoMinister of European Affairs of the far-right government of Giorgia Meloniwhose name sat uneasily in the centre and on the left of the European political spectrum.
It is great news for Europe and a source of pride for our country.
Von der Leyen proposes him as one of the executive vice-presidents and responsible for the Cohesion and Reforms portfolio, responsible for the issue of the development of the least favoured European regions.
The match between Meloni and FittoBrothers of Italy, won the most votes in their country in the European elections in June, and the leader had been pushing for one of their own to have a relevant role in the European institutions.
Von der Leyen’s proposal reaffirms “the central role” of Italy in the European Union, Meloni said.
Among the other names, the one that stands out is that of the Spanish Teresa Riberaproposed to lead an ecological transition portfolio with broad powers, and with the rank of executive vice-presidency.
The socialist Riberaan environmentalist with extensive experience in international climate negotiations, holds exactly that position in the current Spanish government and is emerging as one of the heavyweights of the new Commission.
“It is great news for Europe and a source of pride for our country,” said the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez“With your appointment, Spain has achieved the highest level of influence it has ever had in Brussels, and the EU has gained an exceptional leader,” he added.
An ally of Macron, at the head of Industry
For his part, the outgoing French Foreign Minister, Stéphane Séjournéwas proposed as “executive vice president for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy”, fulfilling the script expected since his surprise resignation on Monday Thierry Bretonwho was considered a sure thing in that position but came into conflict with Von der Leyen.
After the resignation of Bretonformer Internal Market Commissioner, French President Emmanuel Macron He proposed Séjourné for this key post, responsible for restoring the competitiveness of European industry.
Former Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius has also been proposed as a newly created post for the post of Commissioner for Defence and Space, in the context of the war in Ukraine.
Kubilius He will be in charge of strengthening the bloc’s defence policy, but the responsibilities of his position and the means he will have to carry out his functions have yet to be specified.
We must continue to face this challenge of fighting global warming.
The proposed new college of commissioners includes 16 men and 11 womeni.e. 40% below the parity desired by Von der Leyen. To correct the situation, four of the six vice-presidencies are women.
According to the president, the initial proposals of the 27 member states gave women only 22% of the positions in the EU’s executive branch.
“It was completely unacceptable,” the German said, adding that “there is still a lot of work to be done.”
The composition of the new executive is a delicate exercise, as it reflects the weight of each Member State and the internal political balances in Brussels.
The EU is experiencing a delicate moment at a geopolitical level, between the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the economic competition of China and the uncertain presidential campaign in USA.
Von der Leyen stressed the need to achieve a “competitive, circular and decarbonised” economy, following a recent report by former ECB President Mario Drahi on the Union’s economic challenges.
The leader insisted on three pillars for the next five years: “prosperity, security and democracy“.
Three months after elections to the European Parliament marked by the rise of the far right, the left and many NGOs fear that the Commission is too focused on economic issues to the detriment of the climate agenda.
“We must continue to face this challenge of fighting global warming,” but “always in a context of competitiveness,” said diplomatically Von der Leyen, a member of the EPP, the group of center right which is the first force in the European Parliament.]
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