The Spanish government made official this Wednesday the appointment of the third vice-president and responsible for the ecological transition and the demographic challenge, Teresa Ribera, pjoin the new college of commissioners for Ursula von der Leyen’s second term as head of the Community Executive.
“It is a great honor “to be designated by the President of the Government as Spain’s candidate for the next European Commission,” Ribera herself confirmed in an institutional video.
Ribera, who was the PSOE’s lead candidate in the European elections but resigned his seat with a view to joining the Community Executive, said that Brussels “must provide the right answers to the big challenges“and build” the European dream “, based on”prosperity, well-being and opportunities for all“.
Spain rushed until the last days of the deadline set by Von der Leyen, August 30, to present its candidate, while the vice-president had been in office for months. as the main favorite for the position.
Along with Croatia, Finland, Sweden and Portugal, Spain is one of the few Member States to have presented a woman to be part of the new College of Commissioners, which thwarts the intention of the German “popular” to have an executive parity.
Von der Leyen now has the distribution of posts and portfolios in hand and has set a deadline of mid-September to finalize the preparation of her next executive. Those chosen must then submit for consideration by the European Parliament in October.
With Ribera, Spain aspires to have a weighty portfolio, linked to climate or energy issues, case in which the Vice-President distinguished herself during her meetings with her European counterparts.
Ribera has become the protagonist of the negotiations with the European Commission to achieve what is called Iberian gas exceptionby which Spain and Portugal were granted a temporary measure to separate themselves from European electricity markets and reduce their electricity bills. The initiative was approved in June 2022 and extended until the end of 2023.
