Newly elected European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants each member state to nominate two candidates – one woman and one man – for the post of EU commissioner. Who will Austria nominate? The Greens are supposed to put Leonore Gewessler in the game. But the minor coalition partner denies that.
Chancellor Karl Nehammer does not yet see any time pressure for the appointment of the candidate of the European Commission. However, if Austria does not simply want to secure a remaining position in the European Commission, the government must finally get to work. The Greens are using the time to provoke the ÖVP with new candidate names.
Two weeks ago, the name Othmar Karas was launched in the media by the Greens as a compromise candidate. The EU veteran of the ÖVP is a warning signal for many in the party. “It would be comparable if the ÖVP wanted to nominate former Green Party member Peter Pilz,” said an ÖVP member.
For the Greens, however, the negative attitude of the ÖVP towards Karas came as a surprise, according to the Green leadership circle. “Othmar Karas may not have always followed the party line, but he stands for a strong Europe in a difficult geopolitical situation and he has good connections in Brussels,” said a high-ranking Green party member.
The ÖVP’s favorite, Finance Minister Magnus Brunner, has zero chances with the Greens. ‘He’s just saving narrow-mindedly. “In the coming years, the EU will have to invest money to get the energy transition going and investments in the networks will be necessary,” the Greens say.
The messy situation has not been made any easier by the new edition of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The newly elected EU head wants one woman and one man from each country to be nominated for the post of commissioner.
The “Standard” reported that the Greens are now putting Leonore Gewessler into play. The Greens deny this to the “Krone”. “We want to get rid of party-political thinking. “That is why we will certainly not nominate a dark green party candidate.”
Is Edtstadler’s hour coming?
In times of need, the hour of ÖVP constitutional minister Karoline Edtstadler could come. The connection between Edtstadler and Nehammer is not the best. But before Karas comes, it would be better to send “Karo” to Brussels, that could be the motto. But here too, the ÖVP must expect a green “no”. The Minister of the Constitution described the renaturation law as a “dictate from Brussels”. This “FPÖ language disqualifies Edtstadler”, says a Green.
This stalemate does not make finding a candidate any easier. Here too, Alexander van der Bellen must exert pressure to finally reach an agreement. But the Greens claim that the blacks must take action. “We do not see that we should give ÖVP members jobs for which they are not sufficiently suited,” said Green. It seems that the mood in the coalition is good…
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
