Malta bags weak portfolio in new Von der Leyen commission team

Glenn Micallef nominated as EU Commissioner for intergenerational fairness

Malta has been given one of the least crucial portfolios of the European Commission in the new team announced by president Ursula von der Leyen.

Arguably one of the least experienced in governmental business, Glenn Micallef, 35, the former chief of staff to Prime Minister Robert Abela, will be appointed Commissioner for intergenerational fairness, youth, culture and sport.

In the outgoing commission, youth and sport formed part of the portfolio of Iliana Ivanova of Bulgaria, which also comprised innovation, research, culture and education.

In comparison, the portfolio of Commissioner for the Mediterranean was given to the Croatian nominee, whilst smaller states Cyprus and Luxembourg were accorded, respectively, the portfolios of fisheries and oceans, and agriculture and food. Additionally, the responsibility of education was hived off to vice-president Roxana Mînzatu of Romania, whilst research and innovation went to Ekaterina Zaharieva of Bulgaria.

Micallef, an EU expert, is also one of the youngest commissioners nominated to the College, and has yet to be grilled by the responsible committees of MEPs and voted upon by the plenary.

“Intergenerational fairness is a cross cutting topic. It affects all of us – and especially young people. It is about the right balance in a society. And I have entrusted Glenn to watch over it,” said Von der Leyen as she presented her new team.

Micallef will be expected to head a portfolio that also focuses on the role of art and culture in improving the resilience and well-being of people and society, and supporting fairness and social inclusion, which includes both physical and mental health. The EC will promote the portfolio as a way of using the arts and sports to make European societies more inclusive and fairer, given that socio-economic determinants and inequalities are key indicators for mental health risks.

READ ALSO: Glenn’s mission | Youth dialogue in first 100 days, an action plan on cyberbullying and sport diplomacy

Yet none of the areas have EU competence but rather mostly member state competence, which means barely any legislative acts can come out of the portfolio. Most of the funding under these sectors will still be managed by another commissioner.

Micallef’s portfolio could still include a directorate-general within the EU civil service, something that was not present under predecessor Helena Dalli’s equality portfolio.

On X.com, Micallef said it was a privilege to be entrusted to lead EU policies and initiatives on intergenerational fairness, youth, culture and sport. “I look forward to working with the European Parliament and all stakeholders. Few areas are as close to EU citizens’ daily lives and experiences as youth, intergenerational fairness, sport, and culture. Looking forward to working together with President Ursula von der Leyen towards one goal: making Europe stronger.”

Prime Minister Robert Abela said on X.com that he was delighted that Micallef had been entrusted with the portfolio. “The EU has a meaningful impact on people, particularly in youth, culture and sport. A proud moment for Malta as our nominee takes on a key role in shaping the future of Europe.”

In a first reaction, Nationalist MEP Peter Agius sounded a warning that Prime Minister Robert Abela’s insistence to push forward with his former chief of staff’s nomination would prove to be an uphill struggle for Micallef. “It will be uphill for him to pass from the European Parliament’s grilling. I wish him the best,” Agius said.

Agius said he hoped Micallef would be influential enough to impress upon the Commission before it acts on decisions that affected Maltese and Gozitan interests. “I hope he will be a relevant enough Commissioner who can put more ‘Malta’ in Europe.”

Nationalist MEP David Casa said Micallef had important subjects under his wing “but it’s still the weakest Commissioner portfolio ever assigned to Malta. A sad inevitability of the prime minister’s stubbornness in putting the internal squabbles of the PL above the interests of the country.”

On its part, the Labour Party said Micallef’s portfolio was the voice of Europe’s young generation, and said it was regretful that the Opposition had attacked the Prime Minister’s choice for nominee. “It is truly an insult to youths from a petty and sensationalist opposition that if fixated with partisanship.”

New Commission

Von der Leyen announced what she described as a leaner and more inter-linked structure of her 27 commissioners, all nominated by each individual member state of the EU.

Aiming at achieving gender balance, she said 11 women (40%) will form part of the College after having requested changes from each member state nominating a new commissioner. “The key message is that wherever we come from, whatever our job title: we must all work together. We will have open debates. We will all be independent in thought and action. And we will all take ownership of what is agreed. This is the team that I am putting forward today,” Von der Leyen said.

In this respect, of her six executive vice-presidents, four are women:

Teresa Ribera Rodriguez of Spain, as clean, just and competitive transition, tasked with overseeing the European Green Deal and decarbonisation;

Henna Virkunnen of Finland is commissioner for tech sovereignty, security and democracy (digital tech, internal and external security, rule of law);

Stefane Séjourné of France will be commissioner for prosperity, industrial strategy (industry, single market, companies, investment, invocation, economic stability);

Estonia’s Kaja Kallas will be High Representative for foreign and security policy;

Roxana Mînzatu of Romania will be commissioner for people, skills and preparedness (skills, jobs, social rights);

And former Italian minister Raffaele Fitto for cohesion policies will be commissioner for cohesion and reforms (cohesion policy, regional development).

Other Commissioners

Maroš Šefčovič (Slovakia) Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security. This is a new portfolio which includes customs policy, together with a second role, Commissioner for Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency.

Valdis Dombrovskis (Latvia) will also have a double role as Commissioner for Economy and Productivity, and Commissioner for Implementation and Simplification.

Dubravka Šuica (Croatia) will be the Commissioner for the Mediterranean and wider southern neighbourhood.

Olivér Várhely (Hungary) will be Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, responsible for building the European Health Union.

Wopke Hoekstra (Netherlands) will be the Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth. He will continue to work on implementation and adaptation, on climate diplomacy and decarbonisation. And he will also be responsible for taxation.

Andrius Kubilius (Lithuania) will be the Commissioner for Defence and Space, working on developing the European Defence Union and boosting investment and industrial capacity.

Marta Kos (Slovenia) is yet to be approved by her government andwill be Commissioner for Enlargement – also responsible for the Eastern neighbourhood, and on supporting Ukraine to continue the work on reconstruction, and support candidate countries to prepare them for accession.

Jozef Síkela (Czechkia) will be the Commissioner for International Partnerships, working on Global Gateway and ensure mutually beneficial partnerships which invest in a common future.

Costas Kadis (Cyprus) will be the Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans.

Maria Luís Albuquerque (Portugal) will be the Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investment Union.

Hadja Lahbib (Belgium) will be the Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, a new portfolio which will look at resilience, preparedness and civil protection 

Magnus Brunner (Austria)) will be the Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration.

Jessika Roswalln (Sweden) will be the Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy.

Piotr Serafin (Poland) will be the Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration.

Dan Jørgensen (Denmark) will be the Commissioner for Energy and Housing. He will be the first ever Commissioner for Housing – looking at all aspects from energy efficiency to investment and construction. 

Ekaterina Zaharieva (Bulgaria) will be Commissioner for Research and Innovation.

Michael McGrath (Ireland) will be Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law. He will take forward the ‘European Democracy Shield’ and will lead work on rule of law, anti-corruption and consumer protection. 

Apostolos Tzitzikostas (Greece) will be Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism with responsibility for mobility of goods and people.

Christophe Hansen (Luxembourg) will be the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food.