The outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte has nominated the Christian Democrat Hoekstra to take over the climate portfolio from the Social Democrat Frans Timmermans. Timmermans resigned last week because he is returning to Dutch politics, possibly as the new Prime Minister after the parliamentary elections on November 22.
There are significant doubts in the European Parliament about Hoekstra’s environmental and climate vision, given that his Christian Democratic EPP group has vigorously campaigned in Brussels and Strasbourg in recent months against two important "green" proposals for nature restoration and restrictions on pesticides in agriculture.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants to prevent at all costs that "the flagship" of her Commission, the Green Deal, falls into a danger zone and has assigned the coordination and overarching supervision of all Green Deal tasks to her new First Vice-President, the Slovak Social Democrat Maros Sefcovic. This would mean that Hoekstra would be subordinate to him.
Later this month, another reshuffle of tasks within the European Commission is also planned, with the appointment of the new Bulgarian Commissioner Ivanova and the imminent departure of the Danish Commissioner Margrete Vestager. She will become the new director of the European Investment Bank later this year.
Moreover, the appointment is currently for a maximum of one year, because after the European elections (June 2024), a new Commission must be formed by heads of state and government. It is not certain that a new Dutch Prime Minister will advocate for Hoekstra's reappointment then. In theory, there could be a possibility that "Prime Minister Timmermans" will put forward his predecessor "former Prime Minister Rutte" as a candidate.
President Ursula von der Leyen will interview Hoekstra on Tuesday. More clarity about his portfolio will then emerge. It is not certain that he will receive the full climate portfolio, but Hoekstra confirmed his ambition on Friday and called global warming "one of the biggest themes of our time."
If Von der Leyen agrees with Rutte’s nomination, Hoekstra will still have to convince members of the European Parliament during a parliamentary hearing. This will probably take place in the second week of September. In the past, it has happened several times that a nominated candidate did not make it through.
The left-wing members of the European Parliament have major reservations. "It is not yet guaranteed that Parliament will support him," says Dutch PvdA member Mohammed Chahim. "The chance that we support him depends on whether he surprises us during the hearing."
"He will have to answer the question of whether he wants to accelerate or slow down measures for climate and environment. But we are not very enthusiastic about him," added the S&D Social Democrat.
The Renew Liberals and the Greens in Strasbourg have also expressed concerns about Hoekstra’s lack of a 'green direction'. It could come down to one or two votes.