The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, expressed her disappointment at the lack of an equal number of men and women in the new Commission, during a press conference today in Brussels.
The President of the Commission stated that during her political life she has fought for women’s access to decision-making and leadership positions and that this time too she wanted an equal number of men and women in the new Commission, but admitted that the way is “difficult”, but “worth it”.
Ursula von der Leyen, who was re-elected president of the Commission in mid-July, in a letter sent to European capitals, asked all EU countries to propose one female and one male Commissioner by the end of August. However, this did not happen, since as she revealed, the initial proposals from the 25 member states (with the exception of herself who is from Germany and Estonia, Kaya Kalas, who has already been appointed EU High Representative), were 4 women and 21 men.
Why had he sent a letter?
“My experience tells me that if you don’t ask for it, you don’t get it. It doesn’t come by itself. That is why I sent my letter. If I hadn’t sent this letter, the situation would have been even worse,” she said, adding that “it’s a difficult journey, but that doesn’t change her determination at all. According to Von der Leyen, the process for the selection of Commissioners continues and today there is a double-digit number of women.
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«If you don’t ask for it, you don’t get it. It does not come naturally.”
Ursula von der Leyen berates member states for ignoring her plea to nominate women for the next European Commission.
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— euronews (@euronews) September 4, 2024
“I haven’t seen all the possible candidates and I’m talking to all the states and governments about the different names, about the different alternatives,” he said. He also emphasized that there are two criteria for the selection of Commissioners. The first is ability and skills and the second is ‘balance’ based on geography and gender.
At the end of this process, von der Leyen should announce by mid-September the new college of Commissioners and the portfolios assigned to each. The European Parliament will then have the final say on their nomination, with the Commissioners’ hearings to be held in October in Brussels and the MEPs’ vote taking place at the end of the hearings. In theory, the new Commission should take office on 1 November.
Source: RES-MPE
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