Von der Leyen: EU to Get Commissioner for Defence and Security

The selection of the new Commissioners will be a complex process, in which Von der Leyen must try to reach agreement on the distribution of portfolios. This agreement must concern not only the individuals themselves but also the allocation of specific portfolios and the balanced representation of different political parties.

Although Von der Leyen bears final responsibility, the EU country premiers have a significant informal influence beforehand over the division of portfolios. Ultimately, the European Parliament must approve the proposed Commissioners and the allocation of tasks.

One of the biggest challenges for Von der Leyen is her aim for a gender-balanced Commission. In 2019, she succeeded in achieving an even male-female distribution in the Commission for the first time, but this now appears much more difficult. Although she had requested member states to nominate both a male and a female candidate, most countries submitted only one male candidate. This threatens to skew the gender balance.

Countries re-nominating their current commissioner were not required to submit a second candidate. This further limits the number of female nominees. Additionally, several countries have expressed strong preferences for specific portfolios, especially within the economic-financial area, which complicates the negotiations even more.

Another portfolio attracting much attention is Agriculture. Traditionally assigned to a smaller EU country, it is often seen as one of the less attractive posts but nevertheless plays a crucial role in the distribution of subsidies and regulation within the EU.

This year, Luxembourg’s minister Christophe Hansen, a member of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), appears to be the main candidate for this position. Hansen is one of the few who has openly expressed his interest in this post, making him a likely choice.