The crucial days for Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission, and her team started on Monday in Brussels. The candidates for the Commission must now be questioned by Members of the European Parliament. Things will get serious for Austrian candidate Magnus Brunner (ÖVP) on Tuesday evening.
It starts this Monday afternoon (from 2.30 pm) with the appointed EU Commissioners from Slovakia, Maroš Šefčovič (trade, economic security, transparency and inter-institutional relations) and Malta, Glenn Micallef (sport, youth, intergenerational justice and culture). In the evening, the Luxembourg citizen Christoph Hansen (agriculture) and the Greek Apostolos Tzitzikostas (transport and tourism) will follow.
After the hearings, the representatives of the respective committees decide whether to approve the candidate or not. The hearings are not an unmitigated success, as a look at the past shows: before Von der Leyen’s first term in 2019, three people failed.
Brunner is not considered a shaky candidate
Brunner is not one of the shaky candidates. However, he has already caused a surprise with a written answer to a list of questions from EU parliamentarians: in it, contrary to the government line in Vienna, he spoke out in favor of full inclusion of Romania and Bulgaria in the Schengen area.
The current Finance Minister also announced that he would quickly present the new EU law for faster deportations, called for by the EU leadership and announced by Commission President Von der Leyen. As EU Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs, Brunner will also be largely responsible for the implementation of the EU Asylum and Migration Pact.
Cross shots expected from the Greens and the right-wing factions
In addition to the votes of his own conservative EPP faction, Brunner should also be able to count on those of the Social Democrats and Liberals, as they depend on the votes of the EPP to get their own candidates through. In addition, Brunner also needs the votes of the Greens or the right-wing ECR faction, which also includes Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Italian Fratelli d’Italia.
The ÖVP is optimistic that Brunner will conclude the hearing positively. EPP circles say shots from the Greens or Patriots are expected
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.
