Ursula von der Leyen has finalized a team of 26 European Commissioners to lead the EU’s executive arm through a turbulent five-year term. The full College is set to face a confirmation vote next week in Strasbourg.
The process was fraught with difficulty. Three nominees – Teresa Ribera, Raffaele Fitto, and Olivér Várhelyi – faced intense partisan disputes that threatened to delay von der Leyen’s second term, now slated to begin on December 1.
The centre-right EPP, bolstered by Spain’s Partido Popular, targeted Ribera, blaming her for Valencia’s flood response. Ribera, a minister in Pedro Sánchez’s government, countered that disaster management lies with Valencia’s PP-controlled regional government.
Meanwhile, the Socialists and Renew Europe opposed Fitto’s nomination as an executive vice-president, citing his ties to Giorgia Meloni and the ECR group as dangerous normalization of far-right politics. They also criticized Várhelyi for his close relationship with Viktor Orbán and past controversies, including disparaging remarks about MEPs.
After days of negotiations, a deal was reached. Ribera and Fitto kept their portfolios, while Várhelyi lost his reproductive health responsibilities. The EPP, S&D, and Renew issued a joint statement affirming their shared values, though the Greens were excluded.
This agreement, described as a “coalition deal,” is non-binding, leaving room for political maneuvering. Despite the tensions, von der Leyen now has a unified front to tackle the challenges of her second term.
