On Wednesday 4 September, the re-elected President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, did not provide confirmation that she would present the team who will form the future European College of Commissioners on Wednesday 11 September.
“The process is ongoing. (...) I’ve not seen all the potential candidates”, she told the press.
When asked about the imbalance between the number of male and female candidates for the post of European Commissioner (see EUROPE 13472/4), Ms von der Leyen said that the first criteria was “competence”, and therefore ministerial or senior experience working within the European institutions was a condition for taking up the post.
“We are very clear on geographical balance and political affiliation. We should also be balanced as far as diversity is concerned”, she said, noting furthermore that European Commissioners represent all European citizens, “and half of the people of the EU are women”.
In her opinion, had she not sent a letter to the Heads of State or Government asking them to put forward the names of one woman and one man – a request with which only Bulgaria complied – the list of European Commissioners-designate would, apart from Kaja Kallas and herself, have consisted of “four women and 21 men”. Today, the number of women is in double figures, said the re-elected President. She also noted that in terms of parity, if you don’t ask, you don’t get it.
In terms of governance, the future College is likely to be composed of the President and the Vice-Presidents (two Christian-Democrat Commissioners, two Socialists, two Liberals and one Conservative), who will be responsible for thematic ‘clusters’. The aim is to avoid an excessive hierarchy as was seen during the ‘von der Leyen I’ Commission, where three levels were created (executive vice-presidents, vice-president, European Commissioner).
One issue that has not yet been fully resolved concerns the participation of Nicolas Schmit, the Social Democrats’ head of list candidate in June’s European elections. Officially, the Luxembourg government has appointed Christian Democrat Christophe Hansen, in accordance with a national political agreement. However, given the large number of Commissioner-designates affiliated to the Christian Democrats, the European Social Democratic family is calling for their Spitzenkandidat to join the ‘von der Leyen II’ Commission, as was the case in 2019 when the Dutch Liberal Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, appointed Frans Timmermans. A second term as Commissioner for Nicolas Schmit would allow Luxembourg to lay claim to a more important portfolio; Mrs von der Leyen, however, did not put forward this proposal to the Luxembourg government.
As well as allocating portfolios, the European Commissioner-designates are looking for the person who will head up their cabinet. Among the new names being mooted are Sweden’s Paulina Dejmek Hack, Estonia’s Vivian Loonela, Spain’s Miguel Gil Tertre and Finland’s Antti Timonen. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)