A potential dispute may be on the horizon between Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission President, and the Irish Government over the proposed nomination of Michael McGrath as the next European Union commissioner for Ireland. Von der Leyen, securing her second term on Thursday, expressed her intentions to request each EU country to offer both a female and male nominee. However, the Irish Government, already committed to the nomination of McGrath, appears unwilling to submit a secondary nominee in compliance with von der Leyen’s gender balance mission.
Upon her reappointment as head of the commission, von der Leyen will embark on the process of assembling a team of commissioners – a task often shaped by intense political negotiation and the exchange of influence in Brussels. The former Minister for Finance of Fianna Fáil, Mr McGrath, has already been selected by the Irish Government, who do not seem inclined to acquiesce to von der Leyen’s gender-balance request.
Despite Ireland’s interest in receiving a financially-focused commissioner post, competition is predicted to be fierce for roles related to economic affairs, the EU budget, trade, and financial services. A gender balance amongst her team of commissioners is reportedly a priority for von der Leyen, as suggested by her close circle.
A potential challenge to Mr McGrath’s conveyance of a significant role might come from the four Fianna Fáil MEPs who openly voted against von der Leyen. Additionally, a total of ten out of Ireland’s fourteen MEPs confirmed that they voted against von der Leyen in the confidential ballot, with many referencing her early mishandling of the Israel-Gaza conflict, where she appeared to unconditionally support Israel’s response to Hamas’s attacks on October 7th.
As the President of the European Commission, Ms Von der Leyen is preparing to assert her time in office for a second term. The process of assigning EU commissioner roles is driven by a blend of a nominee’s competency, a nation’s political influence, their political affiliations, and geographic considerations.
Mr McGrath is set to make a trip to Brussels in the upcoming week. His visit will primarily be dedicated to preparatory meetings with Irish diplomats and commission officials. Anticipation suggests that the jostling for these EU commissioner roles will intensify once the national governments have reciprocated to Ms von der Leyen’s official nominating requests, which are expected soon.
In an anticipatory address outlining her plans for her second term, Ms von der Leyen speaks of an increased EU involvement in addressing Europe’s housing crisis. She has sworn to establish a “European Defence Union” pooling resources to finance mega projects such as the creation of a common air defence shield.
Ms von der Leyen demonstrated her authoritative standing in European politics by clinching her re-election to the European Parliament with a surplus of 40 votes. She was proficient in securing the support of the Green party delegates, fortifying the majority of MEPs supporting her. This was achieved in return for assurances that prior climate reforms would remain untouched.