He can Ursula von der Leyen announce the 26 Commissioners and their portfolios, but that does not mean that the European Parliament will approve all of them.
Since 2004, the European Parliament has rejected at least one candidate in every new Commission. Seven people in total entered Parliament as certain commissioners and ended up leaving.
We remind you that a two-thirds majority is required to officially appoint a Commissioner, otherwise a new vote will be held where a simple majority will be required.
The 5 who are at risk of “cutter”
Oliver Varcheli (Hungary): Commissioner for Animal Health and Welfare
It’s no secret that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s pick will face an aggressive hearing.
As Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement during von der Leyen’s first term, Varchleli faced criticism from Brussels officials for his contacts with candidate countries that raised concerns about the rule of law and democracy. MEPs will also be able to recall the occasion in 2023 when he called them “idiots”.
However, Budapest has a plan B, Enikos Giori.
Marta Kos (Slovenia): Commissioner for Enlargement
Kos was a last minute choice by her government after von der Leyen pushed the country to nominate a female candidate. While her credentials appear promising, she is likely to face questions about her abilities, allegations of mismanagement and lobbying ties.
She resigned as Slovenia’s ambassador to Germany and Switzerland in 2020 following allegations of mismanagement.
Her ties to one of the world’s largest lobbying firms will not go unnoticed. Kos worked for global communications consultancy Kreab as a senior consultant, bringing her “deep knowledge of leadership, communications, gender issues, political affairs and foreign relations, particularly in German-speaking countries and to the firm’s Southeast European site.” Kos told POLITICO that she does not consider herself a lobbyist, nor is she listed as a member of the EU’s transparency register.
It will also have to overcome accusations from Slovenia’s EPP delegation about alleged links with the police in the former Yugoslavia, as reported by Euronews, an accusation it has repeatedly denied.
Haja Labib (Belgium): Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, Crisis Management and Equality
Labib is likely to face questions about her past, particularly over a Russian-sponsored trip to Crimea and her handling of visas for Iranian officials, for which she nearly lost her job as foreign minister.
Ekaterina Zaharieva (Bulgaria): Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation
He is a former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria. In 2018, Zaharieva was involved in a scandal related to her performance fraud Bulgarian citizens.
As Euractiv reported at the time, a former immigration official accused Zakharieva of participating in the fraud as justice minister. Zakharieva has denied the allegations and has not been prosecuted, but her political opponents are keen to remind everyone of her connection to the scandal.
Glen Micallef (Malta): Commissioner for Youth and Sport
Malta’s choice has raised concerns even within his own party (Labour), given his inexperience in a role often held by a former prime minister or other.
Micallef, 35, was Prime Minister Robert Abella’s chief of staff and knows Brussels well, having headed Malta’s department responsible for coordinating with the EU. It will depend on whether MPs consider his CV to be sufficient for the role.
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