Teresa Ribera will be the Vice-President for Just, Clean Transition and Competition of the European Commission. The current head of the ecological transition in Pedro Sánchez’s government will assume one of the most sensitive political responsibilities and will be the most powerful socialist in the EU.
Ursula von der Leyen has announced the structure of the new Community government in which the number of executive vice-presidencies increases. In addition to Ribera, there will be three other women and two men. Achieving parity has been one of the great battles of the President of the European Commission, which all governments, except the Bulgarian, ignored in her request to propose two candidates (one man and one woman). She finally managed to reach 40% female representation after an “intense negotiation” with the capitals to increase this ratio which was initially 22%.
The Competition portfolio also involves defending antitrust rules that affect the EU. Ribera’s predecessor, the liberal Margrethe Vestager, has become in recent years the “nightmare” of “big tech”, which she besieged for abusing its dominant position in the European market. Just before leaving office, the Dane won two major legal victories: the restitution of €14 billion by Apple to the Irish Treasury and the confirmation of a €2.4 billion fine against Google. Ribera, who had energy companies in her sights during her time in government, will now take on this role in full application, in addition, of the laws that regulate the digital ecosystem in the EU.
The most powerful socialist in the EU
Ribera will thus be the socialist with the most powerful role in the EU, where she will hold a vice-presidency representing the political family and the largest country in the hands of the socialists (Germany in this case is represented by Von der Leyen). The last legislature initially belonged to the Dutch Frans Timmermans, socialist candidate in the European elections, and Josep Borrell also assumed the vice-presidency in his capacity as high representative.
The European Commission president announced the structure of the EU government for her second term at a press conference after meeting with spokespeople for the European Parliament groups, who will have to examine all the candidates and then give their approval for the entire cabinet.
With the members of the College of Commissioners being appointed by the governments of the 27, the new composition of the European Commission will be more right-wing than the outgoing team, as there has been a general growth of right-wing and far-right forces in national elections in recent years.
With Von der Leyen, the European People’s Party will have 15 members, including five liberals – among them the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stéphane Séjourné, after the last-minute change promoted by the German, who demanded that Emmanuel Macron have a candidate other than the one until yesterday the Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton -, four socialists, two from the far right (Italy and Hungary) and the independent Maros Sefcovik who still represents the populist government of Slovakia. The far right Geert Wilders supported the conservative Wopke Hoekstra who joined the community government after the departure of Timmermans.
