In the face of Russia, Ursula von der Leyen appoints a Lithuanian to Defense and an Estonian to Foreign Affairs. The choices of the President of the European Commission will now have to be validated by the European Parliament.
ADVERTISEMENTThe negotiations and bargaining lasted until the very last minute. Ursula von der Leyen finally unveiled this Tuesday morning her team of European commissioners and the portfolios she will ask them to lead over the next five years.
Ursula von der Leyen’s team remains virtual for now: Each of the Commissioners will have to be officially appointed by the European Parliament in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, the Commission President describes her new College of Commissioners as having a structure “lightened” and more “interactive and interconnected”.
The future college of European commissioners includes eleven women and sixteen men.
The day after the resignation of French Commissioner Thierry Breton, Ursula von der Leyen appoints Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, Commissioner for Industry, SMEs and the Single Market.
Stéphane Séjourné is Minister of Foreign Affairs in the resigning government of Gabriel Attal and is one of Emmanuel Macron’s close associates.
The Italian Raffaele Fitto, member of the nationalist government of Giorgia Meloni,** is appointed Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, Commissioner for Cohesion Policy, Regional Development and Cities.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was one of the first to react, saying that her country was regaining “a central role” within the EU.
In the context of the war in Ukraine and In the face of the Russian threat, Ursula von der Leyen has chosen former Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius for defence affairs and space related files
Double symbol, former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas is appointed Executive Vice-President for Foreign Policy and Security and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Defence Policy.
Kaja Kallas has distinguished herself for her intransigence with Vladimir Putin’s Russia. The name of the 47-year-old former lawyer appears on a wanted poster from the Russian police.
The list of commissioners
Austria – Magnus Brunner – Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration
Belgium – Hadja Lahbib – Commissioner for Crisis Preparation and Management
Bulgaria – Ekaterina Zaharieva – Commissioner for Start-ups, Research and Innovation
Croatia – Dubravka Šuica – Commissioner for the Mediterranean
ADVERTISEMENTCyprus – Costas Kadis – Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans
Czech Republic – Jozef Sikela – Commissioner for International Partnerships
Denmark – Dan Jørgensen – Commissioner for Energy and Housing
Finland – Henna Virkkunen – Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Commissioner for Digital and Frontier Technologies
ADVERTISEMENTGermany – Ursula von der Leyen – President of the European Commission
Greece – Apostolos Tzitzikostas – Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism
Hungary – Olivér Várhelyi – Commissioner for Animal Health and Welfare
Ireland – Michael McGrath – Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law
ADVERTISEMENTLatvia – Valdis Dombrovskis – Commissioner for Economy and Productivity, Implementation and Simplification
Luxembourg – Christophe Hansen – Commissioner for Agriculture and Food
Malta – Glenn Micallef – Commissioner for Intergenerational Equity, Culture, Youth and Sport.
The Netherlands – Wopke Hoekstra – Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero Growth and Clean Growth, also responsible for Taxation.
ADVERTISEMENTPoland – Piotr Serafin – Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration.
Portugal – Maria Luis Alburquerque – Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investment Union
Romania – Roxana Mînzatu – Executive Vice-President for People, Skills and Preparedness, Commissioner for Skills, Education, Quality Jobs and Social Rights
Slovakia – Maroš Šefčovič – Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency
ADVERTISEMENTSlovenia – Marta Kos – Commissioner for Enlargement, also responsible for the Eastern Neighbourhood and the reconstruction of Ukraine.
Spain – Teresa Ribera – Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Fair and Competitive Transition, Commissioner for Competition
Suede – Jessika Roswall – Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy
