EU commissioners-designate under scrutiny
The European Parliament in Brussels has been interviewing candidates for the new European Commission since 4 November. The hearings end on 12 November. So far all candidates have been confirmed apart from Olivér Varhélyi from Hungary, who has to go through a second round. Once the individual hearings conclude the Commission as a whole must be confirmed. Commentators take a look at their country's nominees, as well as the entire procedure.
We should have these at the national level, too
Aftonbladet is full of praise for the hearings system:
“The long hearings are a wonderful democratic tool. If you were of legal age at the time of the EU elections, you had the chance to elect the MEPs who can now vote against the EU commissioners. Members of Sweden's Riksdag don't get to grill ministerial candidates about what they plan to do during their term of office. They can't squeeze political promises out of them and say 'No thanks, next please!' if they don't deliver. These hearings are not just a meaningless formality.”
A strong woman for the issue of expansion
Delo comments on the confirmation of the Slovenian candidate, who was nominated at short notice:
“Marta Kos got through the hearing in the European Parliament without major difficulties. ... The candidate, who was described by many as one of the weakest at the time of her nomination, passed the test with flying colours and secured broad support. It will be a difficult task to prepare this Union full of internal contradictions and complex decision-making processes for further enlargement. Ursula von der Leyen is aware that the enlargement policy needs to be convincing for citizens. There is little awareness in the old member states of how much they have benefited from the accession of new countries since 2004.”
Not an attractive target
Lidové noviny explains why Jozef Síkela, the Czech commissioner-designate for international partnerships, had no problems in his hearing:
“Síkela didn't have too hard a time. He's not a particularly attractive target for those seeking to reject a commissioner. Firstly, he comes from a country which is not very important and not engaged in any major dispute with Europe or other member states. Secondly, while important, the international cooperation portfolio is hard to explain to the public. Moreover, it has very little influence on the bloc's internal affairs. There's no glory in torpedoing a candidate for such a post.”