{"id":369053,"date":"2024-06-11T17:16:55","date_gmt":"2024-06-11T15:16:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eunews.it\/2024\/06\/11\/commissari-europei-candidati-governi-ue\/"},"modified":"2024-06-21T17:22:10","modified_gmt":"2024-06-21T15:22:10","slug":"dombrovskis-opens-commissioner-candidates-waltz-on-von-der-leyen-bis-stage-to-be-built","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eunews.it\/en\/2024\/06\/11\/dombrovskis-opens-commissioner-candidates-waltz-on-von-der-leyen-bis-stage-to-be-built\/","title":{"rendered":"Dombrovskis opens commissioner candidates’ waltz on von der Leyen-bis stage to be built"},"content":{"rendered":"

Brussels – You can’t change a winning team\u2014unless it is the European commissioners. After the European elections and the new balances <\/a>between the parties that will form the new majority in the EU Parliament, the race has begun not only for Ursula von der Leyen <\/strong>to be reappointed as head of the Union’s executive but also for the 26 governments (Germany has reportedly already made its choice with the confirmation of the outgoing president) to choose their respective European commissioner candidates to be put forward for the future Commission presidency<\/strong> for final nomination and passage from the vote in the EU Parliament. And if von der Leyen is in pole position<\/a> to succeed herself, the same cannot be said of the vast majority of the current members of the College of Commissioners, susceptible to changes in governments in member states from 2019 to the present and political balances now all to be built.<\/p>\n

\"Ursula<\/a>
From left: European Commission Vice President for Economic Affairs and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Opening the ball with an announcement that was as expected as it was predictable\u2014but not so quickly\u2014was the government of Latvia led by Evika Sili\u0146a<\/strong>, which decided to reappoint its current member of the College of Commissioners in the von der Leyen cabinet for the next executive in Brussels as well. “The government has just supported the decision to promote Valdis Dombrovskis <\/span>to the position of European Commissioner<\/strong>, an experienced candidate with extensive professional experience and opportunities to gain as much influence as possible in the European Commission.” said<\/a> Latvian prime minister about the decision that came after the “overwhelming support from voters<\/strong>” for the EU Commission’s vice-president for the Economy, candidate of Latvian centre-right party <\/a>New Unity (JV) in the European elections. “This corresponds to Latvia’s interests in strengthening its influence in the European Union,” pointed out<\/span> Premier Sili\u0146a, who in autumn 2023 has replaced at the helm of the Baltic country Kri\u0161j\u0101nis Kari\u0146\u0161<\/strong>, responsible for the first confirmation of Dombrovskis in 2019 after his experience in the Juncker Commission. “I will continue my work, strengthening the European economy and security, supporting Ukraine on its path to the EU<\/strong> and maintaining close ties with Latvia,” is the aknowledgement<\/a> of the European commissioner candidate.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to EU Treaties<\/a>, European commissioners\u2014one from each member country\u2014are appointed by agreement between the EU Commission presidency and the member states, which propose them based on “general competence,” “European commitment,” and “guarantees of independence.” The Council of the European Union adopts the list, and each commissioner candidate must also pass a vote in the European Parliament<\/strong>. Therefore, it is clear that not only the political composition of the government that nominates its candidate should be considered, but also that of the majority that holds the Commission in the European Parliament. In other words, a government that is unbalanced to the right will not be able to overlook the fact that it will have to cash in on the approval of the centre-left as well: this is the case, for example, with Giorgia Meloni’s Italian government, which will have to look for a name that is also acceptable for the Democratic Party<\/strong>, which in the new legislature constitutes the largest delegation<\/a> within the group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D).<\/p>\n

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\"Ursula<\/a>
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/figure>\n

In the 26 capitals, considerations have already begun on nominations for future European commissioners, although the timing will depend on the nomination of the European Commission presidency<\/strong>. Should it occur an acceleration on von der Leyen’s name<\/a> as early as late June (at the European Council on 27\u201328) and mid-July (with confirmation at the plenary of the EU Parliament between 16 and 19), then an exchange can begin with the Berlaymont at the turn of the summer and confirmation hearings in Parliament between September and October (a couple of months ahead of the roadmap<\/a>). In any case, there should be no significant surprises even if von der Leyen-bis fades, given that the Popular-Social Democrat-Liberal majority (with a possible entry of the Greens)<\/strong> is the only viable option in the European Parliament.<\/p>\n