Key Diary Dates
- Monday, November 4 – Friday, November 8: Hearings for commissioners-designate will take place in the European Parliament.
- Thursday, November 7: The European Political Community summit is scheduled to occur in Budapest.
- Friday, November 8: An informal summit of EU leaders will also be held in Budapest.
In the Spotlight
The hearings for EU commissioners-designate commence today in the European Parliament, spanning through the next week. These sessions will have a tough time capturing the spotlight, especially with the pivotal US election dominating news headlines. Even without the overshadowing presence of this landmark electoral event, expectations for dramatic political exchanges remain muted. Candidates who are deemed vulnerable are likely to navigate through the questioning with relative ease, primarily due to intricate political calculations.
To secure their positions, the nominees must receive backing from at least half of the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in their respective committees. Should they fail to achieve this majority, lawmakers are entitled to seek additional information. In the unfortunate event of a candidate’s rejection, the entire nomination process will need to be initiated anew.
Several candidates are anticipated to face heightened scrutiny during the hearings. Notably, the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and the liberals in Renew Europe have signaled their intention to focus on Italy’s Raffaele Fitto and Hungary’s Olivér Várhelyi. Conversely, the European People’s Party (EPP) appears poised to challenge the qualifications of Maltese nominee Glenn Micallef (S&D) and Belgium’s Hadja Lahbib (Renew), particularly regarding their experience for the roles they have been nominated for.
It’s important to note that candidates are unlikely to be voted down unless the broad political consensus that Ursula von der Leyen brokered during her re-election campaign in June is disrupted. A rupture of this consensus could lead to significant repercussions, potentially compelling the EPP to lean more heavily on right-wing MEPs, thereby fracturing von der Leyen’s expansive political coalition.
Another pressing concern among lawmakers is the possibility that if Várhelyi is rejected, Viktor Orbán might opt not to propose any alternative candidates at all, effectively pausing the entire nomination process. By the time Várhelyi’s hearing occurs on Wednesday evening, it’s conceivable that US voters may have returned Orbán’s ally, Donald Trump, to the White House, a development that could further embolden the Hungarian premier in his dealings with the European Commission.
Despite the potential for tension, the hearings are expected to yield significant concessions. Candidates may find themselves under intense questioning from MEPs regarding specific policy directions or commitments, which could compel them to make pledges that they will be held accountable to throughout their mandates. The Parliament’s ability to hold commissioners accountable in the future is likely to be strengthened as a result.
These hearings mark the first to be conducted under the new parliamentary rules of procedure adopted in April, which are intended to enhance scrutiny of the executive branch. Among the new measures is the introduction of special scrutiny hearings, enabling MEPs to question Commissioners or any relevant individuals about their political actions concerning matters of significant political importance.
Policy Newsmakers
Daniel Freund and António Tânger Corrêa
Harris or Trump? MEP Surrogates
As Europe awaits the outcome and ramifications of next week’s US election, Euronews engaged with two MEPs who are advocating for competing candidates in the presidential race. They shared their views on why they believe either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris would be the preferable choice for Europe.
The leftist political factions in the European Parliament—including the Socialists and Democrats, the Greens/EFA, The Left, and Renew Europe—are firmly backing Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. However, there are also proponents of Donald Trump within Brussels, particularly among members of the right-wing Patriots for Europe group.
For Trump, Patriots MEP António Tânger Corrêa spoke with us from Portugal, while Harris advocate Daniel Freund (Greens/EFA, Germany) contributed his insights from the US, where he is closely following the unfolding elections.
