In many member countries, the president of the commission has been wiped off the table Ursula von der Leyen with the hope of getting both a woman and a man as commissioner candidates. So far, only five women are candidates for EU commissioners.
16 countries offer a male candidate. Five countries have not announced their candidate yet. The deadline for presentations is Friday. Discussions about the candidates are still taking place.
The name is missing in Italy, for example, where, however, the most male candidates have been featured Raffaele Fitto. Denmark will also end up with a man after a long female streak.
When von der Leyen was elected to continue as president of the Commission in July, he said he would send a letter to the member states asking for a male and a female candidate for commissioner. The exception is the commissioners moving on from the current commission.
– Once again, my goal is an equal share of men and women at the college table, von der Leyen said.
When putting together the current outgoing commission, ukaas worked, because there are only two less women than men.
Finnish commissioner candidate Henna Virkkunen (col.) stands out in a crowd when there are only a handful of women. Spain, Sweden and Croatia also propose a woman. In addition, Estonia Kaja Kallas is the EU’s next high representative for foreign policy.
Financial portfolios are particularly sought after
Virkkusen is expected to have a weighty portfolio related to the economy, industry or competitiveness, with a decent budget.
Director of EU affairs at the Confederation of Finnish Business, who has followed the EU for a long time Lotta Nymann-Lindegren believes in Virkkunen’s possibilities, because he has experience as a minister and a minister, as well as good networks.
– Of course, we also have the advantage that Henna Virkkunen is a woman and we know that quite a few female candidates have been appointed to this commission so far. That is something that the President of the Commission will have to take into account when he distributes these portfolios.
The commission’s source also says that the country that nominated a female candidate early on has a heavy portfolio ahead of it.
However, there is fierce competition for financial portfolios. Heavyweight candidates like the current internal market commissioner, France, are interested in the economy Thierry Breton and experienced in Poland Piotr Serafin as well as many other men.
Von der Leyen may have also made promises to the countries about the portfolios when he sought support for himself in the background discussions.
The construction of the portfolios is still in progress. It is not known whether, for example, the internal market or competitiveness will have its own commissioners or whether they will be combined with something else.
It has emerged in the Brussels rumor mill that a portfolio focused on research, development and innovation could be suitable for Finland.
It is one of the priorities of the next commission, to which we also intend to add money.
Finland may also be interested in the position of competition commissioner, which includes matters such as state aid.
Researcher: von der Leyen should demand more names
Professor of European Law Alberto Alemanno considers the formation of the commission more difficult than before, when the member states do not comply with the request for female and male candidates.
When there was more choice from different candidates, it would be easier to divide the portfolios into different countries.
According to Alemanno, the background is that the member states clearly gave von der Leyen an extension, so they think that not all of his orders need to be followed.
According to Alemanno, Von der Leyen should demand more names from the member states.
– It is disappointing if von der Leyen does not act like this.
Also according to Alemanno, Finland stands out in the crowd.
– You have a strong position, stronger than the many who offer a male candidate and demand a heavy portfolio.
It is difficult to find a quota candidate
Lotta Nymann-Lindegren understands that it is difficult for the member countries to find people to agree to be the second candidate.
– In most member states, it is pretty clear in advance who the candidate is. Then we would need an alternative alongside and let the president of the commission make the choice.
Ideally, according to him, the member states would propose women and men in turn. Now the appointment of women is concentrated in the Nordic countries, while in many countries there has not been a woman as a commissioner.
According to Nymann-Lindegren, five years ago, von der Leyen more directly promised weighty portfolios to countries nominating female commissioners. It was a good incentive.
Parliament grills the candidates
After von der Leyen has distributed the portfolios, the commissioner candidates will be heard by the EU Parliament.
Parliament puts the candidates to the test. There are more anti-EU MEPs than before, so you can expect tougher interrogations. Some of us are sure to criticize the male power of the Commission.
In the past, the Parliament has replaced at least one commissioner candidate with another.