MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st December, 2019) The new composition of the European Commission, chaired by President-elect Ursula von der Leyen will start work on Sunday.
On Wednesday, the European Parliament approved von der Leyen's commission in a 467-157 vote for a five-year term, with 89 abstentions. The commission will take office without a representative of the United Kingdom. Von der Leyen previously served as the defense minister in the cabinet of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
"Europe is not only about partisan politics, rules or regulations, markets or currencies. It is ultimately, above all else, about people and their aspirations, about people standing together for their liberty, their values, simply for a better future ... Our Union in the next 5 years, will embark on a transformation that will change each part of our society, of our economy, and we will do it because it is the right thing to do, not because it will be easy. We make our best achievements when we are bold," von der Leyen said in her keynote speech in the EU Parliament.
Dutch Socialist Frans Timmermans and Danish Margrethe Vestager, who both competed for the commission's top post, will serve as two executive vice-presidents of the commission.
Timmermans from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is in charge of the arguably most important portfolio - the European "green deal" on the fight against climate change, which was presented by von der Leyen as the commission's first priority. He will also likely continue influencing European institutions' war against the "populists" and such countries as Poland and Hungary.
Vestager from the Renew Europe group will direct and enforce European digital policy, which is the second priority of the new European Commission president. She might overshadow von der Leyen, since it is she who will be negotiating trade deals with China and the US and tax issues with tech giants. She will also have to make proposals on artificial intelligence, the 5G networks or fight against cybercrimes.
Von der Leyen expects a roadmap from her two vice-presidents in the first 100 days of the new European Commission.
France's European Commissioner Thierry Breton, a former CEO of French IT company Atos, is set to have a very broad portfolio spanning industry, digital, defense and space. He will therefore be another heavyweight in the new commission, with associations representing European enterprises, such as BusinessEurope hoping that his experience of manager will improve the bloc's economic policies.
Acting Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell will replace Federica Mogherini as EU foreign policy chief. His intention is to promote Europe's expansion and reforms in the Western Balkans, support democracy and the integrity of Ukraine, address the challenges in the southern neighborhood, develop a new strategy toward Africa, work on political relations with Asia, step up cooperation with Latin America, reinstate transatlantic relations and be tough on Russia until the latter "changes its attitude on Crimea and territorial violations."
Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders will become commissioner for justice and the rule of law. He is also a seasoned politician, known for his diplomatic language and avoidance of clashes. He looks like the exact opposite of Timmermans, who had aggressively attacked Poland, Hungary and Italy under Matteo Salvini. Reynders will likely be much more diplomatic and his goal will be to appease rather than set fire to the Central European governments, who oppose the policies of Brussels in many aspects.
Von der Leyen will face several challenges as the new European Commission president.
First of all, she will need to impose her authority after having accepted a compromise that gives her two vice-presidents a considerable range of competences. Secondly, she will have to contribute to improving or at least maintaining intact the Franco-German axis that is re-imposed at the head of the commission but which has floundered on many issues.
Thirdly, von der Leyen will have the task of bridging the widening gap between the West and East of Europe: the May European elections showed a divide in values and identity issues that continues to weigh on the cohesion of the 27 member states.
In addition, von der Leyen is to get rid of her reputation as Germany's inefficient defense minister, something that actively promoted by her opponents.
Also on Sunday, former Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel will replace Donald Tusk as the president of the European Council.
