Brussels, 28/07/2004 (Agence Europe) - Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner, rather than her counterpart for home affairs Ernst Strasser, has finally been named to occupy Austria's European Commissioner post within the Barroso Commission. This news, which was announced on Tuesday by Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, the prognostics that the new Commission could contain seven women (see EUROPE of 27 July, p.5) receives a bit of support. Referring to Ms Ferrero-Waldner's long experience in the field of external relations, Wolfgang Schüssel indicated that it was the right choice not merely in terms of the candidate herself, but also for Mr Barroso. Member of the conservative People's Party (ÖVP), Benita Ferrero-Waldner, 55, joined the Austrian foreign ministry in 1983. She rose to the position of foreign minister in February 2000 in the coalition government of the conservatives and Jorg Haider's FPÖ. During her career, she has always expressed clearly pro-European positions.