Nieuwe Europese Commissie: meer vrouwen en meer politieke variatie

Het meest opvallende aan de nieuwe Europese Commissie is de toename van het aantal vrouwelijke leden en het aantreden van een (eerste) vrouwelijke voorzitter. In de Commissie-Von der Leyen zijn 12 van de 27 leden vrouw, in de Commissie-Juncker² waren dat er 9 van de 28.

De politieke samenstelling is bovendien veel gevarieerder dan die van de Commissie-Juncker. De jonge (28-jarige) Litouwer Sinkevicius³ is verwant aan een partij die is aangesloten bij de Europese Groenen. De Sloveense Commissaris is partijloos en verder zijn er nationalisten uit Hongarije en Polen. De Tsjechische Jourová⁴ is lid van een liberaal-populistische partij.

Daarnaast valt op dat de sociaaldemocraten sterk zijn vertegenwoordigd in de nieuwe Commissie, met vicevoorzitter Frans Timmermans⁵, buitenland-vertegenwoordiger Josep Borrell⁶ en de Italiaanse oud-premier Paolo Gentiloni⁷ op belangrijke posten.

In de nieuwe Commissie zit naast Gentilioni nog één oud-premier, de Let Dombrovskis⁸. In de vorige commissie was hij naast Juncker⁹, Katainen¹⁰ en Ansip¹¹ één van de vier oud-premiers. In de nieuwe komen zitten wel voormalige vicepremiers van Finland en België.

Met acht terugkerende commissarissen is er sprake van de nodige continuïteit, al zijn er wel wisselingen in portefeuilles. Europese ervaring is er door de komst van liefst elf oud-EP-leden en enkele oud-EU-ambtenaren, zoals de Griek Schinas¹² en de Sloveen Lenarcic¹³. Laatstgenoemde was ook staatssecretaris voor Europese zaken.

Het profiel van de commissie-Von der Leyen verschilt dus van dat van de Commissie-Juncker, maar echt betekenisvol lijkt dat niet. Nog altijd is de 'gemiddelde' commissaris een man van 56 jaar met nationale en Europese politieke ervaring en een academische opleiding. Wat de lichte accentverschuivingen gaan betekenen voor het functioneren van de Commissie valt nog te bezien.

Ervaring van Eurocommissarissen

Politieke samenstelling Europese Commissie

Overzicht biografische gegevens en portefeuilleverdeling Commissie-von der Leyen

• * 

  maakte ook deel uit van de Commissie-Juncker²

** het Verenigd Koninkrijk draagt geen nieuwe kandidaat voor vanwege de op 31 oktober 2019 geplande brexit³⁵.

Bert van den Braak, onderzoeker bij het Parlementair Documentatie Centrum in Den Haag, is bijzonder hoogleraar parlementaire geschiedenis aan de Universiteit Maastricht.

• 1. 

  Kenner van de parlementaire geschiedenis met grote parate feitenkennis. Als medewerker van het PDC nauw betrokken bij websites over parlement en politiek en beheerder van het omvangrijke biografisch archief, het databestand over Nederlandse politici. Promoveerde in 1998 op een lijvig proefschrift over de Eerste Kamer, schreef samen met J.Th.J. van den Berg een boek over de parlementaire geschiedenis 1946-2016 en publiceert regelmatig in tijdschriften en dagbladen. Sinds 1 december 2018 is hij bijzonder hoogleraar parlementaire geschiedenis en parlementair stelsel in Maastricht.
   
• 2. 

  Deze Europese Commissie was in functie van 1 november 2014 tot 1 december 2019 en volgde de Commissie-Barroso II op. Voorzitter was de Luxemburgse oud-premier Jean-Claude Juncker. De Nederlandse Frans Timmermans was één van de vicevoorzitters en was belast met betere regelgeving, relaties met de Europese instellingen, rechtsregels, fundamentele rechten en duurzame ontwikkeling.
   
• 3. 

  Virginijus Sinkevičius (1990) is the Commissioner on behalf of Lithuania since December 1st 2019. In the Von der Leyen Commission he is responsible for environment, oceans and fisheries. Previously Sinkevičius served as minister for economic affairs as well as a member of the Lithuanian parliament.
   
• 4. 

  Vera Jourová (1964) is the Commissioner for Values and Transparency in the Commission-Von der Leyen since December 1st 2019 on behalf of the Czech Republic. In the Juncker Commission she was responsible for justice, consumer protection rights, and gender equality. Jourová is a member of the ANO 2011 which is aligned with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE).
   
• 5. 

  Frans Timmermans is Minister of Foreign Affairs since November 5th 2012. Between 2007 and 2010 Timmermans was junior minister of Foreign Affairs, charged with European Cooperation. In 1998 Timmermans became member of the House of Representatives, serving terms until 2007 and again in between 2010 and 2012. Prior to his political career Frans Timmermans served with dr. M. van der Stoel, High Commissioner of national minorities at OSCE and was member of the cabinet of Commissioner Van den Broek at the EC. He also worked at various posts at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
   
• 6. 

  Josep Borrell Fontelles (1947) is the high representative for foreign and security policy of the EU in the Von der Leyen Commission since December 1st 2019 on behalf of Spain. He served as minister in several governments in Spain, and as member of the European Parliament - which he chaired from 2004-2007. He was aligned with the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.
   
• 7. 

  Paolo Gentiloni (1954) is Commissioner on behalf of Italy in the Commission-Von der Leyen since December 1st 2019. He is responsible for economic affairs. Gentiloni served in the Renzi government from 2014-2016 and became prime minister of Italy from 2016-2018 after having served as a member of the national parliament and as mayor of Rome
   
• 8. 

  Valdis Dombrovskis (1971) is a Commission Vice-President on behalf of Latvia. In the Von der Leyen Commission he is responsible for an economy that works for people, and since 2020 trade. In september 2023 he also became executive president for the Green Deal. In the Juncker Commission he held the post of Commissioner for the euro and social dialogue and later also in charge of financial stability, financial services, and capital markets union. Dombrovskis is a member of the New Era Party (JL), which is aligned with the European People's Party. He held a seat in the European Parliament from 2004-2009 and proceeded to serve as prime minister of his country.
   
• 9. 

  Jean-Claude Juncker (1945) is the president of the European Commission. Juncker is a member of the Luxembourg party Christian Social People's Party (CVP), which is aligned with the European People's Party. Juncker server as prime minister of Luxembourg for nearly twenty years.
   
• 10. 

  Jyrki Katainen (1971) is the Commission Vice-President and European Commissioner for jobs, growth, investment, and competitiveness in the Juncker Commission on behalf of Finland. Katainen is a member of the National Coalition Party (Kok), which is aligned with the European People's Party. Prior to his tenure in the European Commission he was prime minister of Finland.
   
• 11. 

  Andrus Ansip (1956) is the Commission Vice-President and European Commissioner for the digital single market in the Juncker Commission on behalf of Estonia. Ansip is a member of the Estonian Reform Party, which is aligned with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE). Prior to joining the Commission Ansip served almost a decade as prime minister.
   
• 12. 

  Margaritis Schinas (1962) is Commissioner on behalf of Greece in the Commission-Von der Leyen since December 1st 2019. He is responsible for promoting the European way of life. Schinas was a member of the European Parliament from 1 October 2007 to 13 July 2009 as an independent member, and was aligned with the European People's Party. After that he served a civil servant in the Commission, becoming a lead spokesperson.
   
• 13. 

  Janez Lenarčič (1967) is the Commissioner on behalf of Slovenia since December 1st 2019. In the Von der Leyen Commission he is responsible for crisis management. Previously he served as high level civil servant and diplomat, and served as junior minister for European affairs.
   
• 14. 

  Didier Reynders (1958) is Commissioner on behalf of Belgium in the Commission-Von der Leyen since December 1st 2019. He is responsible for justice. Reynders is a Walloon liberal and was one of the leading figures in his party MR (Mouvement Réformateur). Prior to his term as Commissioner was minister for finance first, and later for the exterior, serving in multiple governments since 1999.
   
• 15. 

  Mariya Gabriel (1979) is a member of the European Parliament since 14 July 2009 for "Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria", which is aligned with the European People's Party. She is elected on behalf of Bulgaria.
   
• 16. 

  De Europese Volkspartij (EVP) is de partij van christendemocratische stromingen in de Europese Unie en in enkele buurlanden van de EU. Het Nederlandse CDA en de ChristenUnie zijn aangesloten bij de EVP, evenals bijvoorbeeld de Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands (CDU) en de Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern (CSU) uit Duitsland, het Franse Les Républicains, de Spaanse Partido Popular en het Italiaanse Forza Italia.
   
• 17. 

  Stella Kyriakides (1956) is Commissioner on behalf of Cyprus in the Commission-Von der Leyen since December 1st 2019. She is responsible for health and food safety. Kyriakides was previously member of the Cypriot parliament for the centre right DISY and in that role chaired the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
   
• 18. 

  Margrethe Vestager (1968) is the European Commissioner for the digital age and competition in the Commission-Von der Leyen on behalf of Denmark. She previously was commissioner for competition in the Juncker Commission. Vestager is a member of the Danish Social Liberal Party (DRV) which is aligned with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party (ALDE Party).
   
• 19. 

  Ursula von der Leyen (1958) is the Commission president on behalf of Germany since December 1st 2019. She was minister for family & youth, later minister for labor & social affairs and finally for defence in Merkel led-governments from 2005 to 2019. Von der Leyen is a member of the German christian democrats (CDU).
   
• 20. 

  Kadri Simson (1977) is Commissioner on behalf of Estonia in the Commission-Von der Leyen since December 1st 2019. She is responsible for energy. Simson served as member and led the social-liberal centre party in the Estonian parliament. Prior to her term as Commissioner she was minister for economic affairs.
   
• 21. 

  Jutta Urpilainen (1975) is Commissioner on behalf of Finland in the Commission-Von der Leyen since December 1st 2019. She is responsible for international partnerships. Urpilainen led the social-democratic party. Prior to her term as Commissioner she was minister for finance and was vice-president.
   
• 22. 

  De Partij van Europese Sociaal-Democraten (PES) is de overkoepelende partij van Europese sociaaldemocratische partijen. Bij de PES zijn behalve de Nederlandse PvdA onder meer de Duitse Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD), de Franse Parti Socialiste (PS) en de Italiaanse Partito Socialista Italiano aangesloten. Bij de PES zijn ook partijen aangesloten uit onder meer Noorwegen, Servië en Turkije.
   
• 23. 

  Sylvie Goulard (1964) was de Franse kandidaat voor de Europese Commissie, totdat het Europees Parlement haar na een hoorzitting afwees. Zij is lid van de partij van president Macron en was korte tijd minister voor de Strijdkrachten. Eerder was zij ambtenaar op het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, adviseur van Romano Prodi (voorzitter Europese Commissie) en vijf jaar lid van het Europees Parlement. In 2018 werd zij vicegouverneur van de Banque de France.
   
• 24. 

  Phil Hogan (1960) is the European Commissioner for agriculture and rural development in the Juncker Commission on behalf o Ireland. Hogan is a member of the Fine Gael which is aligned with the European People's Party. Prior to hios tenure at Commission Hogan had become a fixture in Irish national politics.
   
• 25. 

  Dubravka Šuica (1957) is a member of the European Parliament since 1 July 2013 for "Hrvatska demokratska zajednica", which is aligned with the European People's Party. Šuica is elected on behalf of Croatia.
   
• 26. 

  In de fractie van De Groenen/Europese Vrije Alliantie (EVA) werken sinds 1999 Groenen en regionale groeperingen ('vertegenwoordigers van stateloze naties') uit verschillende Europese landen met elkaar samen in het Europees Parlement. De Groenen/EVA streven naar een Europa met meer oog voor mensenrechten, milieu en een open bestuur. Ook vertegenwoordigen zij enkele regionale partijen.
   
• 27. 

  Nicolas Schmit (1953) is the Commissioner on behalf of Luxemburg since December 1st 2019. In the Von der Leyen Commission he is responsible for employment policies. Previously Schmit served as a member of the European Parliament for the "Parti ouvrier socialiste luxembourgeois", which is aligned with the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.
   
• 28. 

  Helena Dalli (1962) is the Commissioner on behalf of Malta since December 1st 2019. In the Von der Leyen Commission she is responsible for equality. Previously Dalli served as minister for social dialogue, consumer rights and civil right as well as a member of the Maltese parliament for the social-democrat party.
   
• 29. 

  Johannes Hahn (1957) is the European Commissioner on behalf of Austria. In the Von der Leyen Commission he is responsible for the budget and administration. In the Juncker Commission he was the European Commissioner for European neighbourhood policy and enlargement negotiations and in the Barroso II Commission for regional development. Hahn is a member of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), which is aligned with the European People's Party.
   
• 30. 

  Janusz Wojciechowski (1954) is the Commissioner on behalf of Poland since December 1st 2019. In the Von der Leyen Commission he is responsible for agriculture. Previously he was a member of the European Parliament from 23 April 2003 to 7 May 2016 as an independent member, and was aligned with the European Conservatives and Reformists.
   
• 31. 

  Elisa Ferreira (1955) is the Commissioner on behalf of Portugal since December 1st 2019. In the Von der Leyen Commission she is responsible for cohesion policy. Previously, Ferreira was a member of the European Parliament since 20 July 2004 as an independent member, and is aligned with the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.
   
• 32. 

  Rovana Plumb (1960) is a member of the European Parliament since 2 July 2019 for the "Partidul Social Democrat", which is aligned with the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. Previously, Plumb was MEP from 2 May 2007 to 6 May 2012. Plumb is elected on behalf of Romania.
   
• 33. 

  Maroš Sefčovič (1966) is a Commission Vice-President and the European Commissioner for institutional affairs in the Commission-Von der Leyen on behalf of Slovakia. Since August 22nd 2023 he is also responsible for the Green Deal and - temporarily - climate policy. He was Commissionar for the energy union in the Juncker Commission and in the Barroso II Commission Sefčovič held the post of institutional affairs. Sefčovič is a member of the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), which is aligned with the European People's Party.
   
• 34. 

  Ylva Johansson (1964) is Commissioner on behalf of Sweden in the Von der Leyen Commission since December 1st 2019. She is responsible for home affairs. Johansson served as member of the Swedish parliament for a small left wing party and later joined the social-democrat party. She was minister for schools, later for public health & elderly care and then employment.
   
• 35. 

  Het Verenigd Koninkrijk verliet op 31 januari 2020 de Europese Unie. Het is daarmee het eerste land ooit dat uit de Europese Unie stapte. Het vertrek van de Britten ('brexit') was de uitkomst van een referendum over het lidmaatschap van de EU in het Verenigd Koninkrijk in 2016. Nadien volgden lange onderhandelingen over de scheidingsvoorwaarden en de overgangsperiode na de brexit, die op 31 december 2020 afliep. Eind december 2020 bereikten de onderhandelaars van de Europese Unie en het Verenigd Koninkrijk een handels- en samenwerkingsovereenkomst. Die overeenkomst regelt vanaf 1 januari 2021 de relatie tussen de EU en het Verenigd Koninkrijk.