EU VP Elections Delayed by Controversy Surrounding Teresa Ribera
On Tuesday, European People's Party (EPP) leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo successfully proposed a one-week delay in the election of the new vice presidents of the European Commission. Among the candidates is the current Spanish third vice president of the Government, Teresa Ribera. This decision aims to allow Ribera to first explain her management of the DANA (a severe weather event) at the Congress of Deputies on the 20th, before being subjected to a vote that could elevate her to the role of vice president responsible for Clean, Just, and Competitive Transition.
Sources from the EPP indicated to EFE that Ribera should clarify her actions regarding the DANA incident in Spain before proceeding with the election in Europe. The delay also serves as a strategy to negotiate further changes in the profiles and the title of various portfolios. Despite this setback, Ribera will still undergo questioning this afternoon by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from several committees, including Economic Affairs, Environment, Public Health, and Industry Research and Energy. Each committee will pose one question, and she is expected to answer for about three hours.
In addition to Ribera, the candidates for vice presidents include Finnish Henna Virkunnen from the Popular Party, Liberal candidates Stéphane Séjourné and Kaja Kallas, Socialist Roxana Mînzatu, and the far-right Italian candidate Raffaele Fitto. Earlier, the voting for each candidate was scheduled to occur immediately after their individual interrogations. However, late Monday, it was agreed by the spokespersons for the three political families supporting the European coalition (EPP, SD, Renew) to allow for a collective decision on all candidates after the completion of their questioning sessions. This agreement aims to prevent any one group from leveraging a candidate's approval against another.
The EPP pushed for the vote to take place next week, a delay that Feijóo has framed as a tactical win in his efforts to scrutinize Ribera’s management, deeming it 'lamentable.' This remark particularly references the events surrounding the overflow warning from the Júcar Hydrographic Confederation related to the tragic flooding on the 29th of October. Ribera requires the approval of two-thirds of the European Parliament to secure her position on the new community executive, making support from the EPP critical. In addition to the pressure from the EPP, Ribera faces opposition from socialists and liberals regarding the support for Giorgia Meloni's candidate Raffaele Fitto. These conflicts present challenges that will need to be navigated by Ursula Von der Leyen, prompting the week-long postponement of the vote.
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