Ursula von der Leyen Unveils New European Commission Amid Gender Equality Debates and Resignations
On Tuesday, Ursula von der Leyen announced the new composition of the European Commission, reaffirming her role as president for another five years. The newly formed Commission comprises 16 men and 11 women, including von der Leyen herself. Each appointed individual must undergo a hearing before the European Parliament, after which a vote on the entirety of the new Commission will take place. The procedure should conclude in November, nearly six months post the European elections, which indirectly influenced the selection of the Commission.
However, the journey to this Commission was fraught with challenges. A notable concern arose around gender equality during the nomination process. Initially, von der Leyen had requested that all EU governments propose two nominees for the Commissioner positions—one male and one female—to achieve perfect gender parity. Unfortunately, only Bulgaria complied with this directive, and just six nations—Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Spain, Sweden, and Portugal—submitted female candidates without naming male counterparts.
In response, von der Leyen exerted pressure on particularly smaller EU nations to withdraw their male candidates and instead nominate women. This ultimately led to the inclusion of additional candidates from Belgium, Romania, and Slovenia after the August 31 deadline.
Among these discussions, Slovenia emerged as a particularly problematic member state. Until September 6, the Slovenian government had put forward Tomaž Vesel, a male judge, as its candidate. However, ten days prior to von der Leyen's announcement, Vesel withdrew, citing a difference of opinion with the president regarding the operational style of the European Commission. Observers interpreted his resignation as a direct result of von der Leyen's insistence on nominating a female commissioner in his place.
Following Vesel's withdrawal, Slovenia proposed Marta Kos as a replacement. However, her appointment has not been officially confirmed by the country's parliamentary committee for European affairs, which has been sluggish in addressing the matter. The committee’s president, Franc Breznik, has repeatedly delayed discussions, indicating that he requires more information regarding Vesel's resignation. Although the Slovenian government can bypass the committee's opinion if necessary, Kos’s candidacy remains in limbo until a resolution is reached.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Kos, von der Leyen proceeded to announce the new Commission while noting her name with an asterisk to signify that her nomination is not yet finalized.
Adding to the tumult, the announcement was shadowed by the sudden resignation of Thierry Breton, the influential outgoing commissioner for Internal Market and Services. Breton, who had served since 2019 and was recently renominated, publicly accused von der Leyen of orchestrating his dismissal at the behest of French President Emmanuel Macron. He described his resignation as being justifiably due to what he termed as von der Leyen's questionable governance.
Macron reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with Breton's current role and had preferred a broader mandate for France’s commissioner, ideally alongside the title of executive vice president. In light of these dynamics, von der Leyen and Macron reached an agreement to replace Breton with Stéphane Séjourné, who is deemed to be more aligned with von der Leyen’s vision and has been appointed as executive vice president in charge of European industrial policies.
As this unfolding narrative continues to develop, the European Union finds itself grappling with the question of gender equality, intra-Commission power dynamics, and the political implications of national interests in shaping the EU's future governance.
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