Von der Leyen’s vision for the future: a push forward or a smokescreen? – Denise Grech

Summer is finally drawing to a close and the top bureaucrats from Europe are returning to their home base in Brussels. All eyes are on the whether the European Parliament will give the final go-ahead to Ursula von der Leyen’s choice of commissioners.

The former German defence minister announced her top picks earlier this month. There’s a lot to unpack about von der Leyen’s choice and set up of commissioners.

The nominations and portfolios reveal a lot about Von der Leyen’s priorities. In all, there will be eight Commission vice presidents: three executive vice-presidents, with one- Frans Timmermans – designated as “first vice president” to serve in von der Leyen’s absence, and five more vice presidents.

She seems to be focusing on pushing the European Union and its member states to look towards the ‘future’. For von der Leyen, this means a European Union that embraces modern technology but keeps the environment at the top of its agenda. A Green Deal, in fact, will be overseen by Timmermans.

Malta’s Helena Dalli made the cut to be chosen as the new Equality commissioner. The portfolio fits her: Dalli had served as Equality Minister and had been renowned for spearheading Malta’s equality laws.

The issue of equality has never had a commissioner of its own. What will Dalli do with the role? She told the media she is committed to implement von der Leyen’s vision of a gender balanced commission, but whether she gets the much-coveted Brussels job or not will be seen on October 2.

But is von der Leyen’s push for equality and the environment enough to push the liberal values that the EU has always embraced?

She said she wanted a gender equal commission as a vision for parity in the EU – and then she goes and sets up a commissioner for “Protecting the European Way of Life”.  The title was given to the Commissioner in charge of migration and skilled labour.

Von der Leyen’s nominees include a dozen women, but they are all white. Only 36 of the 751 MEPs — around 5% — in the European Parliament’s new intake following the May elections, come from racial and ethnic minorities.

I doubt how committed the Commission is to have a more inclusive European Union that adequately reflects its 513 million residents. The appointment was slammed as some saw it as a way to appease right-wing populists. Many MEPs, who have to approve the commission, have already come out to criticise the move, so one can only hope the name will be changed. Given the Commission’s perceived stubbornness though, that’s unlikely.

Against this background, will this Commission push Europe forward or backward? Much remains to be seen, and the world is watching.

Denise Grech is Corporate Dispatch Pro European Affairs Researcher and correspondent from Brussels.