von der Leyen and her colleagues: everything you need to know about the nominations for the new European Commissioners

Sunday, Aug 11, 2024

HVG

European Union leaders nominate candidates for the European Commission, detailing national picks and selection processes.

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[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]

Following Ursula von der Leyen’s support for a fifth term as President of the European Commission, and with Kaja Kallas appointed as the EU’s Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Chief and António Costa elected President of the European Council, the next step is selecting the members of the European Commission. Von der Leyen aims to finalize this selection after EP hearings in September 2024, potentially leading to a final vote in October for an official start in November, though this is considered optimistic. The process requires each member state to nominate one candidate who will be approved by the Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, who must ensure gender and geographical balance. If the EP does not approve the list, the Commission President has the authority to modify it. Initially, candidates are heard by specialized parliamentary committees to assess their suitability before a final vote on the entire body in the plenary session. The text then provides updates on various member states’ nominations: Germany nominated Ursula von der Leyen again; Hungary is nominating Olivér Várhelyi; Italy has strong support for Raffaele Fitto; Czech Republic’s nominee is Jozef Síkel; Bulgaria has two potential candidates, Iliana Ivanova and Eva Maydell; Romania plans to nominate a man, possibly Mihai Tudose for the economic portfolio; Spain may see Teresa Ribera appointed; Greece’s current favorite is Apostolos Cicikosztas; France’s nominee is Thierry Breton; Ireland might select Michael Martin or Charlie McConalogue; Valdis Dombrovskis is expected to continue in his role; Croatia has Dubravka Å uica as a potential candidate; Poland will not have an EU Commissioner due to existing leadership roles, but its focus remains on the Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Chief position; Portugal has mentioned Miguel Poiares Maduro or Maria Luísa Albuquerque; Slovenia’s nominee is Tomaž Vesel; and Malta’s nomination of Glenn Micallef has sparked debate over his lack of political experience.

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