Following a debate, Members of the European Parliament voted in favor of the new European Commission, once again led by Ursula von der Leyen in her second presidential term.
The new Commission was supported by 370 MEPs, with 282 voting against and 36 abstaining. A simple majority of the 688 votes cast was required for approval. The new EU executive received backing from members of the European People’s Party, as well as some Social Democrats, Liberals, Greens, and Conservatives from the European Conservatives and Reformists group. Those opposing included the far-right Patriotes for Europe group, the Europe of Sovereign Nations bloc, and the Left.
Von der Leyen stated that the new Commission will focus on security, the economy, enlargement, and the green transition. Regarding enlargement, priorities include Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans.
The newly appointed Commission will base its work on three pillars outlined in Mario Draghi’s recent competitiveness report: closing the innovation gap with the U.S. and China, advancing decarbonization, and enhancing security while reducing dependency on external nations.
The European Commission is expected to formally assume its duties on December 1, 2024, following its confirmation by the European Council through a qualified majority vote.
New Executive Vice Presidents:
Teresa Ribera (Spain): Vice President for Clean, Fair, and Competitive Transition
Henna Virkkunen (Finland): Vice President for Technological Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy
Stéphane Séjourné (France): Vice President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy
Kaja Kallas (Estonia): High Representative for Foreign Policy and Vice President for the Commission
Roxana Mînzatu (Romania): Vice President for People, Skills, and Preparedness
Raffaele Fitto (Italy): Vice President for Cohesion and Reforms
New Commissioners:
Maroš Šefčovič (Slovakia): Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, with a portfolio also covering customs policy, interinstitutional relations, and transparency.
Valdis Dombrovskis (Latvia): Commissioner for Economy and Productivity, as well as Implementation and Simplification.
Dubravka Šuica (Croatia): Commissioner for the Mediterranean, with responsibilities for the EU’s broader southern neighborhood, working closely with Kaja Kallas.
Oliver Várhelyi (Hungary): Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare.
Wopke Hoekstra (Netherlands): Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero, and Clean Growth.
Andrius Kubilius (Lithuania): Commissioner for Defense and Space, focusing on developing the European Defense Union.
Marta Kos (Slovenia): Commissioner for Enlargement.
Josef Síkela (Czech Republic): Commissioner for International Partnerships.
Costas Kadis (Cyprus): Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans.
Maria Luís Albuquerque (Portugal): Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings-Investment Union.
Hadja Lahbib (Belgium): Commissioner for Crisis Preparedness and Management.
Magnus Brunner (Austria): Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration.
Jessica Roswall (Sweden): Commissioner for Environment, Water Sector Resilience, and Circular Economy.
Piotr Serafin (Poland): Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud, and Public Administration.
Dan Jørgensen (Denmark): Commissioner for Energy and Housing.
Ekaterina Zaharieva (Bulgaria): Commissioner for Research and Innovation.
Michael McGrath (Ireland): Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, and Rule of Law.
Apostolos Tzitzikostas (Greece): Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism.
Christophe Hansen (Luxembourg): Commissioner for Agriculture and Food.
Glenn Micallef (Malta): Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Culture, Youth, and Sport.
This new leadership is set to steer the EU through critical challenges, with a renewed emphasis on unity, competitiveness, and sustainable development.