President von der Leyen stepped in to mediate a deal between major political groups to salvage the new European Commission. The process of agreeing on the next Commission has been stalled due to political maneuvering between the key center-right European People’s Party and the Socialist & Democrats. Following the completion of all candidate hearings, evaluations are expected to be published on November 21, with a vote by the European Parliament expected the following week. Each candidate must have the support of at least two-thirds of the relevant committee conducting the confirmation hearing, requiring majority backing from political groups.
While decisions were supposed to be based on candidates’ answers during the hearings, Hungarian candidate Olivér Várhelyi’s confirmation was postponed, necessitating his response to additional written questions. The six designated executive vice-presidents faced scrutiny by MEPs, leading to a political tug-of-war over the composition of the next Commission. The EPP chose to withhold approval for Spain’s Teresa Ribera until she addresses the Spanish Parliament regarding her role in the Valencia flooding, likely postponing her confirmation. The S&D criticized the EPP’s stance as using Ribera as a scapegoat, leading to tensions between the groups.
The S&D has also called for a pro-European, democratic majority supporting Ursula von der Leyen, excluding the far-right European Conservatives and Reformists. This could mean stripping Raffaele Fitto of his vice-presidency, with prominent Italian socialist MEP Brando Benifei stating that they cannot accept him due to potential risks for the future of European institutions. The EPP strongly opposes downgrading Fitto, arguing for his right to the vice-presidency based on Italy’s size and significance. Von der Leyen intervened in the stalemate, meeting with major group leaders in an attempt to reach a compromise but no deal was struck.
Renew Europe criticized both the EPP and S&D for their ongoing clash, urging von der Leyen to take action to overcome the deadlock. The Greens/EFA, who supported von der Leyen’s candidacy but have no designated commissioners, expressed concern over the deadlock and criticized the EPP for aligning with the far-right and potentially taking the EU hostage. Negotiations could result in adjustments in tasks and titles for some commissioners, although outright rejection of a candidate is unlikely. During the previous legislature, Parliament rejected three commissioners, but a similar scenario seems unlikely this time as everything is at stake in the ongoing negotiations.
