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The countdown has begun. By Friday, August 30, the center-right must agree on the candidate for a “heavyweight” post in the new European Commission, once again led by Ursula von der Leyen. The name of Minister Fitto, of Fratelli d’Italia, responsible for European Affairs, the South, Cohesion Policies and the PNRR, remains in pole position. The issue could be at the center of a Council of Ministers on Wednesday, August 28, or of the summit between the three leaders of the coalition (Meloni, Salvini and Tajani) expected for Friday, August 30. The letter indicating the chosen person must reach von den Leyen on Saturday, August 31.
The issue of the lack of respect for gender balance
But the Italian game is developing in parallel with the European one. And here a political knot to untie will be constituted by the fact that almost all the candidate commissioners proposed by the 27 EU countries are men, despite von der Leyen having asked to present a pair of names in order to respect gender equality. Croatia, Finland and Sweden have at least proposed women (as Madrid is expected to do). As many as 16 are only men. France, Hungary, Latvia, the Netherlands and Slovakia, by confirming the current Commissioners, have got out of trouble by exploiting the exemption granted by the president in this specific case. The nomination of Raffaele Fitto – if Fitto will be – would therefore worsen the situation in this respect. With a paradox. The idea of the tandem, which in von der Leyen’s strategy should have favored gender quotas, will end up producing a Commission with fewer women than the previous one. Opening the way to a possible dispute with the European Parliament.
Seven countries have not yet revealed their cards
Von der Leyen has asked for a response by August 30. After that, the President of the European Commission will begin bilateral meetings with the aspiring blue-star ministers “shortly”. At present, in addition to Italy, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Luxembourg, Portugal and Romania are missing from the roll call. The heavyweights have already provided their champions. Austria has presented its Finance Minister Magnus Brunner; Croatia Dubravka Šuicacurrent Commissioner for Democracy and Demography; Cyprus Costas KadisActing Dean of the School of Health Sciences at Frederick University (with an extensive background in politics); the Czech Republic Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela; Finland the MEP Henna Virkkunen; France the Macronian Thierry Bretonformer Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services; Greece Apostolos Tzitzikostasgovernor of Central Macedonia; Hungary Oliver VárhelyiCommissioner in charge for Neighbourhood and Enlargement (already on the verge of rejection in Strasbourg); Ireland the Minister of Finance Michael McGrath; Latvia the eternal Valdis Dombrovskisoutgoing vice-president of the EU executive and former commissioner for the economy; Lithuania, the former prime minister Andrius Kubilius; Malta Glenn Micallefchief of staff of the prime minister; the Netherlands Wopke HoekstraCommissioner for Climate; Poland Peter SerafinAmbassador to the EU; Slovakia Maroš Šefčovičalready among the ranks of the outgoing commission; Slovenia Tomaž Vesellawyer and former president of the Court of Auditors; Spain’s vice-premier Teresa Ribera (even if officially his indication has not yet reached the officials of the EU executive); Sweden the minister for European Affairs Jessica Roswall. Out of the bag, Estonia: the former PM Kaja Kalla is set to assume the top post of High Representative and Vice-President of the Commission.
The game for the assignment of ministries and delegations
But the real sudoku, as always complex and delicate, will be in the assignment of ministries and delegations, with the big countries jostling for the prestigious positions and executive vice-presidencies. The work must be concluded by the end of September, when the hearings in Strasbourg should begin.
