Ursula von der Leyen has finally presented this Tuesday his government team for his second term at the head of the European Commission between 2024 and 2029. A college of commissioners comprising newly created posts that reflect their new political priorities: the defense, housing or the Mediterranean.
The German has also introduced important changes in the structure of the college of commissioners compared to her first term. It will have a total of six vice presidents, but all of them with executive functions and with a portfolio assigned to him with exclusive responsibility. In the previous Community Executive there were seven vice-presidents, but only three executives and the rest were merely symbolic.
Von der Leyen has failed to achieve her goal of achieving parity between men and women. As she explained in a press conference, when she received the first proposal of candidates there were only 22% women and 78% were men, something she described as “unacceptable”. The German kept up the pressure until the end and now has 11 women, 40%. The president has tried to compensate for this imbalance by reversing the tables at the top with four female vice presidents and two female vice presidents.
As for the rest of the balances, His college has a large majority of commissioners from the European People’s Party (14 plus the president), five liberals and just four representatives of the Socialists and two from the radical right (Italy and Hungary). In the top vice-presidents she has appointed two Socialists, two liberals, one from the EPP and a representative of Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy. For her second term, Von der Leyen is supported by a large coalition of the Popular Party, Socialists, Liberals and Greens.
[Von der Leyen nombra a Teresa Ribera vicepresidenta ejecutiva de Competencia y Transición Ecológica]
Teresa Ribera (SPAIN, Socialist): Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Fair and Competitive Transition and responsible for Competition. She will lead work to ensure that Europe remains on track to achieve its goals set out in the European Green Deal and decarbonises and reindustrialises its economy at the same time. She will be responsible for sanctioning monopolistic abuses by large platforms and authorising or vetoing mergers.
Henna Virkkunen (FINLAND, EPP): Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy. She will also be responsible for the portfolio of digital and cutting-edge technologies. Von der Leyen has tasked her with “the internal and external aspects of security, but also with strengthening the foundations of our democracy, such as the rule of law, and protecting it wherever it is attacked.”
Stéphane Séjourné (FRANCE, Liberal): Executive Vice President for Prosperity and Industrial StrategyShe will also be responsible for the Industry, SMEs and Single Market portfolio. “She will lead the work to create the conditions for our businesses to thrive, from investment and innovation to economic stability and economic and commercial security,” explains the president.
Kaja Kallas (ESTONIA, Liberal): Vice-President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs“We are in an era of geostrategic rivalries and instability. Our foreign and security policy must be designed with this reality in mind and must be more aligned with our own interests. I know I can count on her to be the bridge between our domestic and foreign policies, and to ensure that we remain a geopolitical Commission,” said Von der Leyen.
Roxana Minzatu (ROMANIA, Socialist): Executive Vice President for People, Skills and ReadinessShe will be responsible for the education and culture portfolio and will have responsibilities in demographic matters. The German has also assigned her to oversee the European Pillar of Social Rights.
Raffaele Fitto (ITALY, Radical Right): Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms. She will be in charge of the cohesion policy, regional development and cities portfolio. “We will take advantage of her extensive experience to help modernise and strengthen our cohesion, investment and growth policies,” says Von der Leyen. This is a much less powerful portfolio than initially planned: Economy and Recovery Plan. The German has backtracked following protests from socialists and liberals against the envoy of the radical right-wing government of Giorgia Meloni.
Maros Sefcovic (SLOVAKIA, Non-attached): Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security. This is a new portfolio that also includes customs policy. Sefcovic is the great dean of the European Executive, serving his fourth consecutive term. Von der Leyen has entrusted him with a second role, for which he will report directly to her: Commissioner for Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency.
Valdis Dombrovskis (LATVIA, EPP): Commissioner for Economic Affairs and ProductivityHe is another veteran, now in his third term. He will lose his position as executive vice-president, but in exchange Von der Leyen has also assigned him the role of Commissioner for Implementation and Simplification, for which he will have to report directly to her.
Dubravka Suica (CROATIA, EPP): Commissioner for the MediterraneanShe will also be responsible for the southern neighbourhood in general. “She will work closely with Kaja Kallas – and many other commissioners – to develop our shared interests with the region,” the president says.
Olivér Várhely (HUNGARY, Radical Right): Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare. Viktor Orbán’s controversial envoy will be given a portfolio with less weight in his second term than he had until now: Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy. “He will be responsible for building the European Health Union and continuing the work to combat cancer and preventative health,” said the German.
Wopke Hoekstra (NETHERLANDS, EPP): Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero Emissions and Clean Growth. Her responsibilities overlap to a large extent with those of Teresa Ribera, although she will be the one who will ultimately decide as executive vice-president. The Dutchman “will continue to work on implementation and adaptation, on climate diplomacy and on decarbonisation”. He will also keep the Taxation portfolio.
Andrius Kubilius (LITHUANIA, EPP): Defense Commissioner. It will work on developing the European Defence Union and on promoting industrial capacity and community investment.
Marta Kos (SLOVENIA, Liberal): Commissioner for Enlargement and UkraineThe Slovenian candidate is still awaiting confirmation by her country’s parliament, after the Slovenian government gave in to pressure from Von der Leyen and replaced its initial candidate with a woman. “She will work to support Ukraine and continue the reconstruction work, and will support the candidate countries to prepare them for accession,” the president said.
Jozef Síkela (CZECH REPUBLIC, EPP): Commissioner for International Partnerships. His main responsibility will be to lead the EU’s investment strategy in infrastructure projects around the world, known as the Global Gateway Initiative, which aims to rival China’s new Silk Road.
Costas Kadis (CYPRUS, EPP): Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans“I am counting on their experience to help build a resilient, competitive and sustainable sector and present the first European Ocean Pact,” says Von der Leyen.
Maria Luís Albuquerque (PORTUGAL, EPP): Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investment Union. Its role is to complete the Capital Markets Union and ensure that private investment drives productivity and innovation in the EU.
Hadja Lahbib (BELGIUM, Liberal): Commissioner for Crisis Preparedness and Management. “This is another new portfolio that will deal with resilience, preparedness and civil protection. It will be responsible for leading our efforts in crisis management and humanitarian aid,” says Von der Leyen.
Magnus Brunner (AUSTRIA, EPP): Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration. The former Austrian finance minister had been hoping for a major economic portfolio, but Von der Leyen has entrusted him with implementing the Pact on Asylum and Migration, as well as “strengthening our borders” and developing a new internal security strategy.
Jessika Roswall (SWEDEN, EPP): Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and Competitive Circular Economy“It will help develop a more circular and competitive economy. And it will lead work on water resilience, which is a major priority for the coming years,” said the president.
Piotr Serafin (POLAND, EPP): Commissioner for Budgets and Anti-Fraud. The former chief of staff to Donald Tusk during his time as President of the European Council will report directly to Von der Leyen. His priority will be to prepare the next multiannual budget for 2027-2034. He will also have administrative responsibilities to continue the modernisation of the Community Executive.
Dan Jorgensen (DENMARK, Socialist): Commissioner for Energy and Housing. Von der Leyen has entrusted him with measures to reduce energy prices, increase investment in clean energy and reduce the EU’s energy dependencies as a priority. “He will be the first ever Housing Commissioner to deal with all aspects, from energy efficiency to investment and construction,” said the president.
Ekaterina Zaharieva (BULGARIA, EPP): Commissioner for Research and Innovation“We must put research and innovation, science and technology at the heart of our economy. The Commissioner will help ensure that we invest more and focus our spending on strategic priorities and breakthrough innovation,” says Von der Leyen.
Michael McGrath (IRELAND, Liberal): Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and Rule of Law“I have entrusted her with the responsibility of promoting the European Shield of Democracy. She will also lead our work on the rule of law, the fight against corruption and consumer protection,” said the German.
Apostolos Tzitzikostas (GREECE, EPP): Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism“These are essential sectors for our competitiveness, but also for our transitions, for connecting people and boosting local economies.”
Christophe Hansen (LUXEMBOURG, EPP): Commissioner for Agriculture and Food. Based on the Strategic Dialogue with the sector, Hansen has to develop a Vision for Agriculture and Food in the first 100 days of his mandate.
Glenn Micallef (MALTA, Socialist): Commissioner for Intergenerational Equality, Culture, Youth and Sport. The Maltese government has ignored Von der Leyen’s request to change its candidate to a woman and is left with one of the portfolios with the least weight and content.
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