Teresa Ribera calmly entered his hearing before the European Parliamentalmost oblivious to the earthquake that hours before had shaken her candidacy with the PP forcing the EPP to agree to postpone its vote, and with it that of the other five vice-presidents of the Commissionat least until next November 20, the still vice president of the Government and minister gives explanations about DANA. For the popular ones, Her absence during these weeks “invalidates” her for a position in the EUand Genoa noted this step as “a political success.” In fact, the moments of greatest tension in the parliamentary examination occurred precisely between Ribera and Dolors Montserrat, leader of the popular parties in the European Parliament and vice-president of the EPP.
The Spanish friction jumped, once again, to Brussels, in the last hearing of the 26 and perhaps the most important. Supported by her co-religionists, the socialist MEPs, Ribera began her defense, like someone defending a Final Degree Project, punctual and done in a certain hurry. “The atmosphere is boiling,” said the president of the session, as a warning at the beginning. “I don’t like using the hammer,” he stated, just before giving the starting signal to the audience.in which there were a total of 488 members.
“I appear two weeks after the second deadliest tragedy in Europe so far this century“, Ribera began, with a “memory of affection and solidarity” with the families, and for those who “have been helping.” He also thanked the “shows of support and affection” from all over Europe. This prompted the candidate to repeat that we must “understand the ability to observe the climate to adapt and be more resilient”: she also asks to strengthen the response possibilities. “I have a commitment to Europe and to Europeans”said the Spanish, who also said she was aligned with the priorities of the Von der Leyen Commission 2.0.
The main clash, however, occurred with Dolors Montserrat. He made excuses in his agenda to clarify why he was not in Congress for DANA, but that brief mention did not appease the PP. Montserrat saw this exam as “unnecessary” because she already failed with the tragedy in Valencia. “He is responsible,” the popular woman told him in her turn. “I shouldn’t be appearing here today; has preferred to be hidden” and He added that “history and also the judges” will pass judgment on his role. At that point, he asked him if he agrees to resign if he ends up in judicial proceedings for his management in DANA, something also questioned by other members of the EPP. Besides, He called her “radical”something shared by the Italian radical right, who accused her of “Taliban environmental ideology.”
In the response, Ribera defended decentralization in Spain and recognized the competence of the central government in alerts, but another part falls on the regional governments. “The alerts were issued at the appropriate time,” he said, before remembering that he will return to Congress in a few days and it disfigured the PP that it wanted to “undermine the credibility” of the AEMET. “We must take the alerts seriously, which in this case was a red alert,” he stated, in an implicit message to Carlos Mazón’s Executive.
Before the European People’s Party, Ribera defended his “independence” amid the doubts of conservativesand maintained that the Commission “is the guardian of the Treaties.” This means that its objectives have to be “coherent”, in line with those of the entire Community Executive. He denied, therefore, having conflicts of interest, and if he does at some point there is a way for the assignment on that issue to be made to another commissioner. The EPP, yes, was also very harsh towards the CAP and the agricultural sector, which the vice president herself “humiliated”according to the political group. “I don’t humiliate anyone, on the contrary,” Ribera defended herself, open to a dialogue with the group to address their demands.
Vox: “He is responsible for what happened in Valencia”
During question time, the radical right groups were also very harsh with the candidate for commissioner. Jorge Buxadé (Vox) also accused her of “hiding” while Sánchez has “fled to Azerbaijan” to attend the COP. “You are responsible for the tragedy in Valencia, you did nothing. He knew the risk and did nothing. He never carried out the planned works that would have prevented the floods,” said the leader of the group. “If you are a commissioner, are you going to do the same with the EU?” Buxadé asked himself amidst some boos. In the answer, Ribera called the issue “sad” and promised that a repetition of a DANA like this “will find us all prepared.”. Buxadé recovered the word to point out that the Government “has not done anything.” And he continued with a message to the PPE: “There are two options, either you are on the side of Teresa Ribera or on the side of the lives of the Spanish people.”
To avoid a repeat of a DANA like the one in Spain, Ribera lamented that Europe “is not ready” to deal with aftershocks. “Water stress is very important,” he recalled, as well as land use and its changes, since “the increase in temperatures” must also be taken into account throughout the continent. These capabilities, however, cannot be developed “without taking into account the economy.” So, Ribera is committed to developing “a European adaptation plan” that has “different approaches to adapt to different situations”, emphasizing above all on “early response”.
There are two options, either they are on the side of Teresa Ribera or on the side of the lives of the Spanish people.
Beyond the national, Ribera asked to defend “a world based on rules” in a volatile geopolitical scenarioeven dangerous, in which climate change is faced by leading “innovation in key sectors.” To this end, the internal market is “an ongoing project in which it is essential to continue moving forward” to reaffirm strategic autonomy. There, he expressed, the ecological and digital transitions are key. “We want an economy that works and we know that competition policies help us function more and better”he continued, in another branch of his tasks, the Competition. “By acting together we can face new challenges, not letting ourselves be blackmailed with energy,” for example. And he issued a warning: “The rest of the world is not waiting for us, because we cannot afford to stay behind or leave anyone behind.”
A weak point in Ribera’s speech was nuclear energy, and she was asked about it by the liberal group. The Spanish stressed that we must meet “the decarbonization objectives” and all options are “valid.” It has been designed, he said, “an electricity market in which everyone is included, and we also take nuclear solutions into account,” he reviewed; This is “fundamental” for a leader who in Spain has always opposed the use of this type of energy, and who has now had to take an important turn to make the leap to Brussels.
“Make more European and better”
Teresa Ribera also aligned herself with the reduction of bureaucracy so that the EU gains speed at the business level, but that has to go through decarbonization and an incentive for investments “for new jobs and products.” All these challenges have to occur, he maintained, hand in hand with the European Parliament and also with other international actors. These agreements with third countries “have to reduce our vulnerabilities,” he stated, because only in this way will the EU be “competitive.”. Changing languages at different times during the exam, Ribera urged to ensure “internal competition” to ensure the high quality of goods and services, with standards such as the DSA and the DMA, already approved during the last legislature. “Europe must relaunch its industrial fabric,” and it must do so “in accordance with the environmental criteria of good governance.”
Ribera had time to praise the role of Margrethe Vestager, whom she will replace, if the process passes, as Competition Commissioner. “European companies must have a fair opportunity when competing,” continued the Spanish candidate, who defended “manufacturing more European and manufacturing better” from now on. “This must offer equal opportunities for everyone.” All of this, argued the Vice President of the Government, must also be done by “creating attractiveness” in Europe, with a reform of State aid – another of its fundamental tasks – and without subsidies contrary to fair competition. “We have to learn from our experiences,” he concluded, in a lesson that is for the entire EU on all the open fronts it has.
These state aid They may play an important role in alleviating the housing crisis. Ribera argued in this sense that this will be “one of the main challenges” of the mandate and believes it is necessary to “combine different policies”, something that includes different portfolios of the new Commission. She was not very specific on this point – nor on almost any of her hearing – but limited herself to saying that “it cannot be done on behalf of” the Commission, but rather that it needs “the Member States” and local governments. and regional. There were, for example, no mentions of control of the real estate market. “It is a very broad topic”he simply stated.
It was a hearing, in conclusion, tense on a national level and unsurprising on a European level. Teresa Ribera did not go off script, she had little charisma, she was light in her message and direct. in the points, many, that she has as her duties if she manages to be vice president of the European Commission. But so far it has been expressed with little depth. Of course, your white smoke will still have to wait.