Socialists and democrats issue warning over next Commission mandate

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has delayed her 26 commissioner nominees’ portfolios until next week, postponing a Wednesday meeting that would discuss her pick with the leaders of the European Parliament’s political bloc.

The delay comes after the Slovenian parliament had yet to green-light its government’s pick of former ambassador Marta Kos, which helps achieve von der Leyen’s goal of a more gender-balanced Commission.

However, the Slovenian parliament still needs to sign off on that change, which pushes back the announcement.

“It is only after this step that the nomination of the candidate will be complete and official. Based on this the Commission has asked the European Parliament to postpone the unveiling of the portfolio,” said the Commission and the European Parliament’s press service.

But Von der Leyen is believed to be still trying to piece the puzzle of ensuring a fair distribution of posts, influence and portfolios that respects the delicate balance of European politics for its 27 member states.

The EC president has to take into account geographical balance, ensuring some degree of political influence for West and Eastern members, as well as Mediterranean nations in the south.

Von der Leyen asked European capitals to send both a male and a female candidate for her team of 26 commissioners – except for countries who let their outgoing commissioner stay on. Bulgaria was the only country to follow that demand, after which von der Leyen put pressure on countries such as Slovenia to change their candidate.

Malta is pushing ahead with Prime Minister Robert Abela’s former chief of staff Glenn Micallef, who would replace the outgoing commissioner for equality, Helena Dalli, a former Labour minister.

Europe’s socialists, the S&D Group, however sounded a warning to Von der Leyen that they would not support a team that does not respect the balance of votes in the last election, that does not ensure gender balance, and ignores the need for a strong, experienced Commissioner focused on social rights.

“If these expectations are not met, the S&D in the European Parliament warn it will be very difficult, even impossible, to support the commissioners presented by Ursula von der Leyen,” said Stefan Löfven, the former Swedish prime minister and now president of the Party of European Socialists.

According to widespread media reports, Von der Leyen could propose a Commission without socialist spitzenkandidat Nicolas Schmit, the lead candidate of the S&D in the June elections.

This would tear up a precedent that has held since this process was introduced in 2014, where common candidates take up a leading role at the EU level in reflection of the democratic mandate they secured at the European election as the representative of their political family.

S&D Group President Iratxe García also warned that attempts by Von der Leyen to place an employment commissioner whose commitment to social rights “was questionable at best” and also introducing a vice-president from the hard-right European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) would be the recipe to lose socialists’ support.

“Our support has never been a blank cheque. We have always been clear that the next Commission must meet our expectations, both on policy and principle. The Commission President must ensure that the College is ready to fully honour the political guidelines that we supported.”

As the second largest bloc – by a significant margin – socialists are central to a pro-European majority alongside President von der Leyen’s European Peoples Party, liberals Renew Europe and the European Greens.