European politicians not yet satisfied with Hungarian candidate commissioner

The European Parliament has approved the appointment of two new EU commissioners but has suspended the decision on a third candidate. The French and Romanian candidates Thierry Breton and Adina Vălean are allowed to start working in the EU's executive body. The Hungarian candidate Oliver Várhelyi is not yet certain of his position.

The European Parliament first wants a written statement from the Hungarian candidate regarding his full independence from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Várhelyi has been Hungary’s ambassador to the EU in recent years and has, according to some EU politicians, been a spokesperson for Budapest.

He will soon be responsible for assessing the rule of law among candidate member states, while the government of Viktor Orbán in Hungary faces heavy criticism in this area. Especially the Social Democratic S&D group wants the new Hungarian non-affiliated candidate to provide a written declaration distancing himself from Orbán’s anti-European policies. The Greens and Social Democrats, as well as the Liberals, want the possibility to decide later on holding a second hearing.

The new French candidate passed the hearing with EU politicians notably easily, after the previous French candidate was more or less rejected due to business-financial issues from her earlier career in France. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has assigned Thierry Breton (64) the Internal Market portfolio. This gives him significant authority over the EU’s economy and business sector.

The French entrepreneur said that digital transformation and climate change are high on his agenda, and that the EU’s ultrafast 5G internet, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and new technologies must make the EU an important industrial player.

The prospective Transport Commissioner, the Romanian Vălean (51), said among other things that the transport sector must become greener for the benefit of citizens, but that the cost should not be borne solely by the citizens. The Romanian has been a member of the European Parliament herself since 2007.