Von der Leyen ‘hopes’ to announce top team on Tuesday

BRUSSELS — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen still “hopes” to present her top team of commissioners in Strasbourg on Tuesday, according to spokesperson Arianna Podestà.

Even before Thierry Breton explosively resigned from the Commission Monday, it was unclear whether von der Leyen would be able to announce her new executive team as planned.

That is largely due to a hold-up in Slovenia, whose parliament is refusing to schedule a confirmation hearing for its candidate Marta Kos, amid an ongoing row between the government led by Robert Golob and his political opposition. When Breton resigned, it appeared even less likely that von der Leyen would hit her deadline. However, Paris quickly nominated Stéphane Sejourné, as a replacement for Breton.

“We are in the same situation as Friday, the president hopes to be in a position to announce the College tomorrow,” Podestà said at a press briefing. “But 24 hours in politics are a long time so we continue to need to wait for confirmations.”

MEPs are also waiting for signals from von der Leyen, who traveled to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Monday. She is scheduled to meet the heads of the Parliament’s political groups behind closed doors Tuesday morning, and a press conference is on the cards for after that.

EU lawmakers tweaked the Parliament’s internal rules this year in an attempt to oblige the Commission president to inform them of her plans before they kick off a series of hearings in which they grill prospective commissioners. However, it remains to be seen to what extent von der Leyen will adhere to those parliamentary stipulations, especially without formal government backing for Kos from Slovenia.

Parliament Vice President Martin Hojsík of the liberal Renew Europe group told POLITICO that he expects von der Leyen to at least “announce something,” but “anything is a wild guess given the French last-moment swap.”

Hojsík said his best guess would be for von der Leyen to present the whole College minus Slovenia. He added that lawmakers are “calm” ahead of the announcement “and ready” to start hearings as soon as they receive the commissioner roster.

“I think she will [present the College on Tuesday],” said Sandro Gozi, a Renew Europe MEP elected on the list of Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party. 

Bernd Lange, a German Social Democrat lawmaker, wrote on X that in the wake of Breton’s resignation, the entire EU transition was descending into “absurd theater.” 

The Commission stonewalled journalists at a press conference who asked about Breton’s allegation that von der Leyen went behind his back to get him replaced and his charge against her of “questionable governance.” 

“We are not going to be commenting on the remarks included in the letter,” Podestà said.

On Friday, von der Leyen pressured the European Parliament to bring its hearings for prospective commissioners forward to October, sooner than was planned, so that the next European Commission can begin work on November 1.

But there is also a widespread feeling that the Commission kickoff won’t happen until the beginning of December, especially given the complex Parliament timetable and the lengthy hearings process.

The timetable is still very much up in the air.

Eddy Wax reported from Brussels, and Max Griera reported from Strasbourg. Sebastian Starcevic contributed to this report.