European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is facing challenges in her push for gender parity in the new Commission, as she encounters resistance from EU member states. Von der Leyen had initially requested each country to nominate both a male and a female candidate for commissioner positions, but only Bulgaria complied with this request. As a result, the current list of nominees consists of 9 women and 17 men.Von der Leyen emphasized that competence is the primary criterion for selecting commissioners, stating, ‘The first criterion is competence. The Commission needs competence, and competence means high-level political experience, executive experience, or high-level diplomatic experience or work in European institutions’. However, she also stressed the importance of balance in terms of geography, politics, and gender.To improve the gender balance, von der Leyen is actively negotiating with EU leaders, potentially offering more powerful portfolios in exchange for female candidates. She stated, ‘If you don’t ask, you don’t get,’ highlighting that her efforts were essential to ensure female nominations from several countries, including Belgium, Portugal, Bulgaria, and Romania.The European Parliament will play a crucial role in this process, as it will examine and approve all candidates, with the power to potentially reject less prepared men. Von der Leyen plans to present the proposal for the College of Commissioners to the European Parliament on September 11, with the process expected to be completed by November 1.Von der Leyen emphasized the significance of her efforts, stating that without her intervention, there would have been only 4 women out of 25 commissioners. She remains committed to achieving a more balanced Commission, saying, ‘Throughout my political life, I have fought for women to access decision-making and leadership positions. My experience has taught me that if we don’t ask for it, we won’t get it. It’s not self-evident’.
Key points
- Von der Leyen is pushing for gender parity in the new European Commission, facing resistance from member states.
- Currently, there are 9 women and 17 men nominated for commissioner positions.
- Competence is the primary criterion for selection, followed by balance in geography, politics, and gender.
- The European Parliament will play a crucial role in examining and approving candidates.
