Member states of the European Union had until Friday, 30 August, to nominate their candidates for the incoming European Commission. Ursula von der Leyen, who will preside over the College of Commissioners for a second term, is expected to announce the final list of nominees with their proposed portfolios to the European Parliament’s group leaders on 11 September. The presentation will be followed by a series of parliamentary hearings for all the Commissioners-designate before the relevant Parliament committees, focusing on their expertise, political commitments, and potential conflicts of interest. The last step in the process will be a plenary vote on the entire proposed College, where rejection could lead to portfolio adjustments or force certain member states to propose different candidates.

For now, the full list of candidates includes six returning Commissioners and twenty-two newcomers. Over the next two weeks, von der Leyen will face the difficult task of allocating the portfolios, requiring a carefully crafted balance to ensure geographical, political, and gender equilibrium. Regarding the latter, von der Leyen had originally requested that countries submit two candidates—one male and one female. However, all countries except Bulgaria disregarded this request, selecting only one nominee each, with just eight women among them, excluding Ursula von der Leyen herself and Estonia’s Kaja Kallas, who is set to become the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs. This course of action could potentially extend the complex negotiation process beyond the 30 August deadline, as, according to some sources, von der Leyen has requested that three member states replace their male nominees with female ones, as is the case with Malta’s pick, Glenn Micallef, a 34-year-old EU expert who is nonetheless seen as lacking political experience in a governing role.

Achieving political balance will also be challenging. While the S&D group in the European Parliament secured second place in the European elections with 136 seats, socialists control only four governments within the Union—Denmark, Germany, Malta, and Spain—therefore, despite their strong electoral performance in June, they may end up with only four Commissioners out of twenty-seven. To gain their crucial support in Parliament, Ursula von der Leyen may consequently need to assign socialist Commissioners-designate attractive portfolios, such as those dealing with the economy, climate, competition, or industry.

Currently, there is no certainty regarding who will assume the energy, climate, or research responsibilities in the next Commission. However, several names have emerged. Among them is Denmark’s Dan Jørgensen, a former S&D MEP who notably served as vice-chair of the Environment Committee and held several ministerial positions in Danish governments, including Minister for Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries, Minister for Climate and Energy, and Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy, putting him in a prime position for an environment-related portfolio.

The Czech Republic’s nominee, Josef Síkela (EPP), currently Minister of Industry and Trade and chair of energy ministers’ meetings under the Czech Council Presidency, could be granted the energy portfolio. In favour of nuclear energy, he would likely receive the support of France, unlike Spain’s Teresa Ribera (S&D), who served as her country’s Minister for the Ecological Transition and is currently considered the other main contender for the role, but who opposed the inclusion of nuclear energy in the EU’s green taxonomy in 2022.

Regarding the Research and Innovation portfolio, no candidates have yet emerged. Bulgaria, which previously held this role during the 2019-2024 term, was among the last to submit its nominations due to its interim government. The country proposed two former ministers—one previously responsible for Foreign Affairs and the other for Justice and Regional Development—suggesting a shift in focus. However, given the growing political emphasis on research and innovation to enhance European competitiveness and the upcoming negotiations for the EU’s next framework research programme, this portfolio will undoubtedly be crucial and carry significant political weight in the 2024-2029 term.