Eastern Europe lands key positions

Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the composition of her new Commission at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday 17 September. The candidates designated for the posts of Commissioner must still obtain the approval of the European Parliament in October.

Among the most prominent appointments: that of the Frenchman Stéphane Séjourné to Industry and the Single Market, that of the Italian right-wing nationalist Raffaele Fitto to Regional Cohesion or the Spanish socialist Teresa Ribera to Ecological Transition. But what is also striking is the rise in power of Eastern European countries on eminently strategic issues.

This is one of the main new features of this college of commissioners. One of them will be responsible for defence issues. To fill this position, President Ursula von der Leyen has chosen a Lithuanian, Andrius Kubilius, a former Prime Minister in his country bordering Russia. A choice that is not insignificant, in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

His Polish neighbour, Piotr Serafin, is proposed in the Budget. Together, they will undoubtedly contribute to financing and developing European defence, by strengthening investments and industrial capacities in terms of armaments in order to gain strategic independence, particularly with regard to the United States. They will join Estonian Kaja Kallas in the college, who is very firm in her anti-Putin positions. Her nomination as head of European diplomacy, which had been announced at the beginning of the summer, must also still be validated by MEPs in October.