France, Italy, Spain take on key roles in Von der Leyen’s EU team

STRASBOURG, France – Dr Ursula von der Leyen proposed a sweeping financial and industrial portfolio for France in her next European Commission, after a dramatic last-minute switch in nominees.

The president of the bloc’s executive arm unveiled her proposed slate of commissioners in Strasbourg on Sept 17.

Ms Teresa Ribera, Spain’s climate minister, was tapped to oversee the digital and energy transitions, including the antitrust portfolio, while Italy’s European affairs minister, Mr Raffaele Fitto, is tasked with overseeing cohesion policy and regional development.

Finland’s Ms Henna Virkkunen, who has spent a decade in the European Parliament, will have a portfolio that includes technology sovereignty, security and democracy.

On Sept 16, France named outgoing Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne to be its nominee to replace EU internal market chief Thierry Breton, who blasted Dr Von der Leyen’s judgment on Sept 16 in a sharply worded resignation letter.

Mr Sejourne’s proposed role – which would give him oversight of trade, financial services and the economy – sets France up for a central role in the EU’s increasingly urgent debate over how to boost its competitiveness.

The bloc is under pressure to respond to

growing industrial challenges from China

and the United States, as it digests the findings of a new report from former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi.

Dr Von der Leyen has spent weeks balancing a set of competing demands from political parties and the EU’s 27 member states as she tried to find a slate of nominees and portfolios that would pass muster with governments and survive scrutiny in the European Parliament.

In a commission that is majority male, Ms Ribera, Spain’s deputy prime minister, will have a top seat at the table overseeing the transition and competition policy.

The 55-year-old has been consistently one of the most climate ambitious on the EU’s green deal. But she is also pragmatic, successfully bridging divides between Germany and France on nuclear power during Spain’s presidency of the 27-member bloc and helping lead climate negotiations at COP29 in Dubai in 2023.

The biggest challenge for Ms Ribera will be to ensure the EU keeps its ambitious climate policy after fears about the costs of the Green Deal triggered protests from farmers and industry.

In a bid to allay the concerns, Dr Von der Leyen already pledged a Clean Industrial Deal that would ensure European companies stay competitive during the massive green overhaul.

Some of the other key proposed roles include:

Climate and energy

Former Dutch finance minister Wopke Hoekstra will continue his role overseeing climate policy for the EU, including on a diplomatic level – meaning he will likely represent the bloc at upcoming global climate negotiations in Baku, Azerbaijan. He will also oversee tax.

Denmark’s Climate Minister Dan Jorgensen is set to become the EU’s next energy chief, overseeing the bloc’s transition away from fossil fuels. The 49-year-old social democrat was at key meetings through the brunt of the energy crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and is seen as a trusted pair of hands on the world stage, landing key roles during international climate negotiations. His key priority will be lowering the high cost of energy, which is hampering the economy, and also weaning the bloc off Russian fossil fuels.

Defence

Mr Andrius Kubilius, a two-time prime minister of Lithuania, is being tapped for the defence portfolio.

He is a staunch Ukraine ally and is recognised as a Russia expert in the European Parliament, where he has served since 2019. He notably was in favour of

using all of Russia’s frozen assets

– not just the windfall profits – to help Ukraine.

He also advocated for European countries to devote 0.25 per cent of their GDP to military help for Ukraine.

Mr Kubilius also led his country through the global financial crisis on an agenda of painful austerity measures that were later praised by the European Commission.

With Mr Kubilius in the defence seat and former Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas serving as the bloc’s top diplomat, the foreign policy focus will clearly be on the war on its eastern flank.

Financial services

Ms Maria Luis Albuquerque of Portugal will be in charge of financial services and the savings and investments union. She served as finance minister in a centre-right coalition government between 2013 and 2015, when Portugal finished implementing a bailout programme provided by the EU and the International Monetary Fund.

Justice

Ireland’s Mr Michael McGrath will take on the justice portfolio. That means the former finance minister will be responsible for upholding the rule of law and enforcing data protection regulation across the bloc.

Trade

Slovakia’s Mr Maros Sefcovic was tapped to run the trade portfolio, focusing on customs policy and economic security. He was in charge of the European Green Deal in the previous commission. BLOOMBERG