Stalemate in European Commission Approval Process
Political maneuvering between the key center-right party, the European People’s Party (EPP), and the Socialist & Democrats (S&D) has caused a significant delay in the approval process for the next European Commission. As candidates await final endorsements, the proceedings remain on hold.
All hearings for the candidates have now been conducted, with evaluation letters anticipated to be released on November 21. The European Parliament is expected to vote on the entire Commission the following week. To secure confirmation, each candidate must garner support from at least two-thirds of the European Parliament (EP) committee responsible for their hearing, necessitating backing from the majority of political groups.
Prior to the hearings, political factions within the Parliament pledged that their decisions would be based on the substantive answers provided by the candidates. However, the actual proceedings have not entirely adhered to this promise. A total of twenty candidates received swift approval following their hearings; however, the confirmation of Hungary’s Olivér Várhelyi was postponed as he was required to respond to additional written inquiries.
The focal point of the process occurred on Tuesday, November 12, when six designated executive vice-presidents faced rigorous questioning from Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). This group comprised Spain’s Teresa Ribera Rodríguez, Romania’s Roxana Mînzatu (Socialists and Democrats), Finland’s Henna Virkkunen (European People’s Party), France’s Stéphane Séjourné, Estonia’s Kaja Kallas (Renew Europe), and Italy’s Raffaele Fitto (European Conservatives and Reformists).
The political groups that supported Ursula von der Leyen’s Commission during the previous term—the EPP, S&D, and the liberal Renew Europe—agreed to a “package deal” for the approval of the vice-presidents rather than considering each candidate individually. This arrangement has sparked a political tug-of-war regarding the composition of the next Commission.
The EPP has withheld its support for Spain’s Teresa Ribera until she addresses the Spanish Parliament concerning her involvement in the tragic Valencia flooding. While awaiting confirmation as a Commission vice-president, Ribera continues to serve as Spain’s vice-president in charge of Ecological Transition. This situation likely means that her approval will be postponed until the following week.
The S&D has strongly criticized the EPP’s stance, accusing them of using Ribera as a “scapegoat.” In a press release, they stated, “The EPP’s leadership is willing to risk the stability of the European Institutions amid a challenging geopolitical climate.” Conversely, the Socialists have issued their own demand for a “pro-European, democratic majority” that supports Ursula von der Leyen while excluding the far-right European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR).
In practical terms, this could mean stripping ECR’s Raffaele Fitto of his vice-presidency. “We can’t accept him. It would be a risky choice for the future of European institutions,” remarked Brando Benifei, a prominent Italian Socialist MEP.
The EPP is adamantly opposed to downgrading Fitto to a simple commissioner role, arguing that he deserves the vice-presidency due to Italy’s size and significance, as well as the broader political implications of shifting the Commission further to the right.
In an effort to break the deadlock, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen intervened on Wednesday as political negotiations became increasingly tense. She convened with the leaders of the three major groups in Brussels: EPP’s Manfred Weber, S&D’s Iratxe García Pérez, and Renew’s Valérie Hayer. Unfortunately, no agreement was reached, although “channels of communication remain open,” according to an EP source who spoke to Euronews.
Renew Europe appears more willing to expedite a compromise, implicitly criticizing both the EPP and S&D for their ongoing discord. “We denounce and regret the irresponsible behavior of political forces not contributing to a responsible and reliable solution,” stated Valérie Hayer, chair of Renew, before her meeting with von der Leyen. “We urge the President of the European Commission to take action and responsibility now to overcome this deadlock and build bridges.”
The Greens/EFA, who supported von der Leyen’s candidacy for Commission President in July but do not have any designated commissioners, also expressed concern over the stalemate, directing criticism at the EPP. “EPP’s leadership is gambling, taking the EU hostage, aligning with the far-right. This is irresponsible,” remarked Terry Reintke, co-chair of the Greens, on social media platform X.
The outcome of these negotiations could result in minor adjustments in roles and titles for some designated commissioners; however, an outright rejection of a candidate seems unlikely. In the previous legislature, Parliament rejected three commissioners: France’s Sylvie Goulard, Romania’s Rovana Plumb, and Hungary’s László Trócsányi. Although such a scenario appears improbable this time, a Spanish Socialist commented on the ongoing negotiations, saying, “Everything is now at stake.”
