A new-look European Commission unveiled by its president Ursula von der Leyen has immediately come under fire from some MEPs.
Outlining the new team to MEPs in Strasbourg this week the German official told deputies that gender balance had been uppermost in her thoughts.
The college, as it is formally called, comprises 11 women, 40 per cent of the total.
von der Leyen, set to serve her second term as president, said, “When I received the first set of nominations and candidates, we were on track for around 22% women and 78% men.
“That was unacceptable.”
She added, “So I worked with the Member States and we were able to improve the balance to 40% women and 60% men.”
She told parliamentarians meeting for the first plenary since the summer, “And it shows that – as much as we have achieved – there is still so much more work to do.”
But some MEPs have reacted with anger at the composition of the Commission.
The Left Group’s co-chair Martin Schirdewan (DIE LINKE, Germany) said, “This European Commission will be driven by private profits, short-sighted growth, and a disregard for the common good. ”
The MEP added, “Instead of presenting a Commission for the people of Europe, Ursula von der Leyen has introduced a team that caters to corporate interests, right-wing populism, and blatant lobbying. We reject any candidate with conflicts of interest and demand a commitment to workers’ rights, a just transition, and an economy that serves people—not corporate greed.”
Further criticism came from Anna Cavazzini, Chair of the European Parliament Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, who commented, “The proposal to appoint Raffaele Fitto as Executive Vice President is a misguided concession to Giorgia Meloni and her post-fascist Italian brothers.”
The MEP went on, “Ursula von der Leyen is putting a big question mark on her ambition to firmly anchor the EU in the democratic center over the next five years.
“On consumer protection: I believe it is be a mistake to downgrade and hide it in the responsibilities of the Justice Commissioner. In the last legislature, it was dossiers linking consumer protection with the green transition that were most relevant for citizens.”
