Meeting in plenary session in Strasbourg on Thursday 5 October, MEPs gave their approval to Wopke Hoekstra to take up the post of European Commissioner for Climate Action, and to Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, previously in charge of the ‘Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight' portfolio, to extend his duties to those of Executive Vice-President in charge of the ‘European Green Deal’.
In a secret ballot, 279 MEPs supported Wopke Hoekstra’s candidacy, while 173 were opposed and 33 abstained. For his part, Maroš Šefčovič received greater support for his role in implementing the ‘Green Deal’, with 322 votes in favour, 158 against and 37 abstentions.
While the chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), Pascal Canfin, welcomed the outcome of the vote, which he saw as renewed support for the ‘European Green Deal’, MEPs from The Left denounced the broad approval of the EPP, Renew Europe, S&D and even the Greens/EFA group. The co-chairs - Manon Aubry (French) and Martin Schirdewan (German) - said: “The agreements reached in camera between the Social Democrats and the Conservatives are disgraceful games that seriously damage the cause. It is appalling that even the Greens are signalling their approval for Hoekstra and Šefčovič. This reveals how certain political groups are playing with the fundamental challenges of our time”.
These votes follow the hearings of the two Commissioners-designate - Mr Hoekstra on 2 October (see EUROPE 13262/1) and Mr Šefčovič on 3 October (see EUROPE 13263/1) - and the assessment of their answers to supplementary written questions by the ENVI Committee which, after deliberation, delivered a favourable opinion on both appointments on Wednesday 4 October (see EUROPE 13264/2), confirmed by the Conference of Presidents, including the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and the leaders of the various political groups. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)