Socialist unknown on key commissioners | EUROtoday

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BRUSSELS – The cycle of parliamentary hearings of the commissioners designated within the new European Commission is coming to an finish. So far the journey has been easy, however subsequent week shall be decisive. Close to the hearings of essentially the most delicate candidates, the socialists are making noise, placing into query the bulk that assured confidence in President Ursula von der Leyen. Are they able to upset the European steadiness whereas Donald Trump is getting ready to manipulate in Washington?

Let’s begin with the case of Olivér Várhelyi, the Hungarian nationalist candidate who was entrusted with the well being portfolio. His listening to on Wednesday night prompted doubts, a lot in order that deputies determined to ask him additional questions, this time in writing. The deputies (particularly from the left) questioned him about the proper to abortion and ladies’s rights. The politician despatched the solutions to the questions yesterday. It is now as much as parliamentarians to determine his destiny.

Previously, approval for the candidates got here rapidly. The solely barely extra difficult case was that of the designated environmental commissioner, the favored Swede Jessika Rosswall. 24-hour negotiations between the political forces have been needed, however then the inexperienced mild arrived. According to unconfirmed rumours, members of the left have requested, amongst different issues, for reassurances within the environmental discipline (and for the presence of their consultant within the commissioner’s cupboard).

The hearings of the 4 vice-presidents are scheduled for subsequent Tuesday: the High Representative, the Estonian liberal Kaja Kallas; the competitors commissioner, the Spanish socialist Teresa Ribera; the commissioner for the interior market, the French liberal Stéphane Séjourné; and the commissioner for cohesion, the Italian conservative Raffaele Fitto. In latest days, the French socialist Raphaël Glucksmann has warned that his group won’t be able to approve issues standing thus the Italian candidacy.

Without the socialists, the pro-European majority that helps Mrs von der Leyen’s European Commission would disappear: liberals and in style folks wouldn’t have sufficient votes to provide the inexperienced mild to Raffaele Fitto. Until now, the premise behind the hearings was that the three events would help all candidates to keep away from placing their representatives in danger. However, the 4 fundamental hearings shall be held on the identical day.