Evaluation Note/ Nilgün Arısan Eralp

On 10^th of September, the new European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen has presented the commissioner designates put forward by the member states. They will go through the scrutiny of the European Parliament through the hearings to start from 30th September on. A negative assessment of the European Parliament by a two-third majority can prompt the withdrawal of a candidate, or a reshuffling of portfolios.  Also the entire Commission needs to be approved by the Parliament by a single vote. This final voting will take place in October.

The new Commission is praised for the emphasis on gender balance and climate change/sustainability. The Commission President Von der Leyen is also applauded for outlining a clear strategic vision that the Commission has often lacked in the past. The new President promised to lead a “geopolitical Commission” and act as the “guardian of multilateralism”.

However there have been serious disappointments regarding the new European Commission. Von der Leyen has created a new vice-presidency post dealing with migration and titled it "protecting our European way of life". This has sparked a significant anger in different circles.  The other irritating development was the nomination of the Hungarian Laszlo Trocsanyi as the Commissioner in charge of Neighbourhood and Enlargement.   As Hungary's former justice minister, his mandate oversaw controversial legal measures challenged by the previous Commission for breaking EU rules.

You may read evaluation note from here.