Amid political and geopolitical uncertainty in Europe and the world, particularly after the election of Donald Trump in the US and the collapse of the German government, the new European Commission is seeking to take office immediately on 1 December. Today’s successful conclusion of hearings of the group’s commissioners-designate, who will frame Ursula von der Leyen for the next crucial five years, will play a decisive factor in achieving this goal.

The protagonists of today’s “marathon” are the six executive vice-presidents, the core of von der Leyen’s new team: the upcoming new head of European diplomacy Kaia Kalas from Estonia, the Italian Raffaele Fito for cohesion and reforms, the Romanian Roxana Minzatou for people and skills, France’s Stéphane Cezournet for prosperity and industrial strategy, Finland’s Hena Virkunen for technology, security and democracy and Spain’s Teresa Ribeira for a clean, fair and competitive transition.

2/3 majority required

Candidates need the support of 2/3 of the political groups represented in the relevant committees, which hold the hearings. The 19 commissioners appointed so far by Ursula von der Leyen have already been approved by the European Parliament, as it seems that there has been an informal agreement within the “alliance” of the pro-European Euro-groups that no more time should be lost, so that the new Commission will take over in a few weeks her duties.

However, by holding the process for all six executive vice presidents on the same day, the political groups appear to be trying at the last minute to exert political pressure on each other so that if even one is cut, it will cause a domino and for others. Today’s political process of hearings is the last chance for MEPs to influence the formation of the new Commission.

At the same time, yesterday the MEPs decided to postpone the decision on the Hungarian candidate Oliver Varkheli until tomorrow, Wednesday, in order to exert further political pressure on the new Euro-group of the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, the “Patriots for Europe”, which constitute the third largest political group in the European Parliament.

Interest today focused on Raffaele Fito’s hearing of the Eurogroup candidate for Georgia Meloni, the European Conservatives and Reformers (ECR). The choice of Fito for the position of executive vice-president caused strong reactions from the beginning of the pro-European groups, Social Democrats (S&D), Greens, Liberals (Renew) and the Left (Left), as they considered that the president of the Commission “broke” the so-called “cordon” sanitaire”, i.e. the informal cooperation and majority of the pro-European groups, through which her election to the European Parliament was achieved last summer. They even want him to lose the position of executive vice president.

Former European Affairs Minister and former MEP Fito, although he comes from the most far-right coalition government in Italy’s history, is not considered an outspoken Eurosceptic.

After all, during today’s hearing, he tried to convince the Euro political groups that he will not be Meloni’s “man” in Brussels. In his intervention – as later in a related question – he hastened to clarify that he will not represent “any political party or member state”, but will work for the interest of the EU as a whole. “I am here to confirm my commitment to Europe” he said characteristically.

At the same time, he rejected the claim of Spanish MEP from the Greens, Ana Miranda Path, that it is a “symbol” of “washing” by center-right parties of “neo-fascism”. He replied that he does not understand exactly what the MEP considers to be “fascism”, while he stated that this is a serious accusation and that the future relationship with the European Parliament should be based on mutual “respect”. At the same time, he appeared willing to work with the MEP in question to see together what he means and how he could reassure her of any concerns about the management of his portfolio.

Does the ECR “favor” the Center Right?

However, so far it has been noted by parliamentary actors that the ECR Eurogroup has demonstrated “exemplary” behavior in the hearing process as it has approved all the commissioner candidates, possibly to ensure the successful completion of Fito’s hearing.

Several people in the European Parliament even state that they are surprised by the behavior of the ECR MEPs during the questions and later in the closed meetings of the competent committees. Some estimate that, due to the cooperation of the EPP with Meloni’s group so far on critical legislation, the ECR may be opening a “way” to “enter” the majority of pro-European groups.

For her part, the incoming head of European diplomacy, Kaya Kalas, in the “aftermath” of Trump’s election, said in her hearing that “the EU should do more” to strengthen the defense industry and more to defend “bloc” and Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the hearing for Socialist Teresa Ribera is expected to be difficult with several MEPs appearing ready to ask her questions about her role in tackling climate change in the “shadow” of recent deadly floods in Spain. Several Spanish MEPs from the center-right People’s Party, which belongs to the EPP, have expressed their intention to “cut” the double title of her portfolio.

The political balances, however, are particularly “fragile”, since if one of the six does not pass the audition, then the other candidates are also at risk.

The votes, in fact, – which are normally held immediately after the hearings are completed – were decided by the heads of the political groups to be held at the end of the process for all six executive vice-presidents either tonight after 21.30 (CET), or tomorrow.