Ursula von der Leyen and his new European Commission won a complicated match this Wednesdaywith a golden goal, almost in extra time and after days of tension… in which this result was never really in danger. A game of cat and mouse has been played with the Community Executive, which will finally be able to start working as planned. next December 1st. End of a match, but there is still a lot of league left, to continue with the football simile. The German style is always the same: sober style, led by a pink color that is chosen for big occasions. This one was.
The president presented her team for the next five years, but not before thanking the work of the outgoing Commission, which has had a really difficult five years for the EU. Now begins an equally or more demanding era, and Von der Leyen recalled the historical fight “for freedom” in countries such as Hungary, Poland, Romania or the Czech Republic and he spoke about leaders like Lech Walesa: it was the beginning of a message to vindicate the importance of the Union and that these struggles between equals are not repeated. “These stories remember the fight for freedom and democracy, because these stories unite us as Europeans. This is for me the reason for our Union.”
And both sides of the parliamentary spectrum were filled with reasons in a European Chamber that left behind the roller coaster of last week to tell Von der Leyen that yes, but without the yes being resounding: 370 votes in favor of the new Commission, which is 31 less of those that the German woman achieved in the summer to be re-elected president. It will be another legislature to tighten one’s belt, but because of the narrowness of the road. He did not give much importance to hyperleader to those escapes even though he is internally aware that he will have to fight for each ball as if it were the last.
The world is moving at an unusual speed, and although there is little room for the EU to hesitate, there is also little room to support a Commission that, once again, knows the theory but is not very clear about what the practice should be. There is only the eternal common factor in recent decades in Brussels and Strasbourg: what Mario Draghi says. That is the true reference for Von der Leyen II, who, in reality, bears little or no resemblance to Von der Leyen I. Almost all the names are new, because he does not want anyone to overshadow him.
Now his right hand will be Teresa Ribera. And yes, it will be because the president herself said so, describing the Spanish as “first vice president”, a label that is not official but is unofficial. He referred to the former vice president of the Government to defend the importance of a Green Pact that has been blurred in the priorities, although Von der Leyen does not see it that way. Regarding the Spanish woman, highly applauded by a good part of the plenary session, he said that “she is prepared” and is “a truly devout pro-European.” He will have the duties of giving a boost to environmental policy in the first hundred days of work, with a Plan for a Clean Industry. But perhaps his priorities clash with those of the person in charge of industry and productivity, the Frenchman Stephane Sejourné. Europe, Von der Leyen said, It has to be “clean and competitive” at the same time.
The “symbolism” of the PP
The figure of Ribera did not accept the grays: from the ’embrace’ that the social democrats and the greens gave him to the frontal rejection of the Spanish PP and Vox, to give two examples, although the entire radical right calls her “extremist.” The PP pointed out, however, that its vote against was given “for symbolism”: They do support Von der Leyen, but not Ribera, as they have been repeating for several weeks. The positions were already known in advance after the unknowns with Ribera herself and the Italian Raffaele Fitto. The votes did not move, with the striking position of the PP, which took its rejection to the end and did not position itself in favor of the European Commission with the greatest presence of the conservative family in the entire history of the EU. Paradoxes of life.
The global scenario is what it is, and the EU is risking its reason for being. Not only is the route dangerous, but from a decision-making point of view it leaves less room for improvisation. “Freedom is not an abstract concept” and it does not come “free”assured a very serious Von der Leyen, but with a flat and already known speech. It demands “investments” in security, prosperity and unity, also in values ​​”finding ways to work together and overcoming confrontation.” That is the great objective, he concluded, of his new Commission, supported, he said, by a “pro-European majority” that is numerically weakbut that point is something that the German decided to ignore, assuming that the process to approve her commissioners was “complicated” (in an implicit mention for many of the Ribera crisis).
In the announcements chapter, Von der Leyen took ten minutes to make a big announcement: a competitiveness compass sponsored by the aforementioned Draghi report, which should serve to sit at the same table globally as China and the United States. The EU has to take a step forward as an international actor. “Europe must fight for its freedom to shape its future in an unstable world. We must invest in our prosperity and security, and remain united and true to our values. My team and I will strive to achieve this every day. From day one,” he summarized during his speech.
We must invest in our prosperity and security, and remain united
Who is the cat and who is the mouse for the next five years? It depends on who tells the story. what is true is that the new European Commission can no longer crawl, almost even walk. has to run if it wants to catch up with its strategic rivals in terms of competitiveness, security and prosperity. You have to go from words to actions; and the journey to those events is along a narrow road, which will not be free of obstacles, but which at the same time will allow very few stops to refuel. In a hurry, and without pause.