The European Parliament is preparing to hold nominees for the new college of European Commissioners accountable as they go through a rigorous screening process. This includes legal screening of conflict of interest forms filled out by the 26 nominees, as well as public grilling by MEPs to assess their experience, competence, and commitment to their new roles. The parliament has the power to vote down nominees if they uncover personal controversies, divisive political stances, conflicting interests, or lack of competence. However, the urgency to get the new college up and running quickly may force lawmakers to compromise on politically-motivated objections. The specter of Donald Trump’s potential re-election and its implications for Western support to Ukraine is adding urgency to the process for certain pro-European factions.
The nominees must first fill in and submit conflict of interest forms detailing their previous jobs, financial assets, and other potential conflicts. These forms will be sreened by the parliament’s legal affairs committee in a tight timeframe of 24 to 48 hours. If any discrepancies are found or if lawmakers suspect misreporting, candidates may be called to be questioned further. Candidates who pass this stage will move on to public hearings where they will be questioned by MEPs on their qualifications and suitability for the role they have been nominated for. The success rate of these hearings is generally high, but this time centrist groups are wary of the potential ultraconservative nominees being considered, such as Raffaele Fitto and Magnus Brunner.
After all members of the college have been approved, Ursula von der Leyen is expected to formally present her team before the entire European Parliament for a vote. The full team will need a majority of votes cast in order to be appointed. With multiple opportunities for disruptions along the way, the vote could potentially be delayed until the end of the year, leaving the nominated team in limbo for the time being. The decision on which committee will interrogate which candidates lies with the parliament’s political leaders, who consult with the committee chairs before making a decision.
The process of screening and questioning the 26 nominees is crucial in ensuring that the new college of European Commissioners is competent and free from conflicts of interest. This process is particularly important given the political polarization and fragmentation within the European Parliament, which raises the stakes of the hearings. While lawmakers do not have investigative powers to probe further if they feel declarations lack substance, they can base their assessments solely on what is included in the conflict of interest forms. If nominees are found to have misled or omitted information in their declarations, they may be disqualified from serving.
The urgency to get the new college of Commissioners up and running quickly is driven by political and geopolitical factors, including the potential re-election of Donald Trump and its implications for Western support to Ukraine. The parliament’s desire to have a thorough scrutiny process while also expediting the appointment of the new Commissioners is creating a delicate balance for lawmakers to navigate. With a more complex structure of portfolios and the inclusion of ultraconservative nominees, the scrutiny process is expected to be more challenging this time. The decision on whether to approve or reject each candidate ultimately lies with the committee chairs and political coordinators, who must reach a two-thirds majority in order to make a decision. Only after all members of the college are approved will von der Leyen be able to formally present her team to the European Parliament for a vote.
