Macron ponders options for EU commissioner
French president expected to name Thierry Breton, a tech CEO, to be EU single market commissioner, but other options remain.
News in Brief
- Finland: EU should have anti-money laundering agency
- Russian forces build up in north Syria
- Second French EU nominee also under fire from MEPs
- France approves budget for medical cannabis research
- Police make arrests in migrant lorry deaths
- EU states want to reduce emissions from shipping sector
- Von der Leyen to meet French and Hungarian candidates Monday
- EU ambassadors delay decision on Brexit extension
Parliament outmanoeuvred in EU top-post game
The European Parliament on Tuesday lost a years-long power struggle, and gave up winning more influence on European politics via the so-called Spitzenkandidat process it had championed.
Who is the new EU parliament president, David Sassoli?
The 63-year-old centre-left Italian MEP was elected president of the European Parliament, with 345 votes. A former journalist, Sassoli has experience as a vice-president of the parliament, but is little known.
Lagarde set to lead ECB
The Frankfurt-based European Central Bank is set to get its first female leadership after the EU leaders in Brussels nominated Christine Legarde, who is current managing director of the International Monetary Fund.
Who are the EU's new leaders?
Three out of the four people to lead the EU institutions in Brussels for the next five years were selected Tuesday, but none are well-known outside their own countries. The fourth, the European Parliament president, is to be chosen Wednesday.
EU leaders nominate first female EU commission chief
An ally of Angela Merkel, the female Germany defence minister has been nominated by EU leaders for the commission top job. Ursula von der Leyen still needs to be approved by the EU Parliament, where she will meet some resistance.
Opinion
Polish election: analysing why PiS won
Support for democracy was particularly low in Poland with only 19 percent consistently supporting democracy - only Hungary and Bulgaria scored lower.
French EU nominee loses vote and is out
France's nominee for EU commissioner lost the vote on her candidacy, with 82 MEPs against and 29 in favour, after hard questions in a second hearing.
Borrell hard on Russia in EU hearing
The EU should continue to expand in the Western Balkans and maintain sanctions on Russia, its next foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has said.
EP commissioner hearings resume This WEEK
EP hearings into EU nominees resume this week after bruisings in which two candidates were already knocked out and two put on the ropes.
Schinas spars with MEPs over migration job title
A number of MEPs pressed Margaritis Schinas to drop the "Protecting the European Way of Life" title of his portfolio, which deals with migration. But Schinas refused, claiming it needs protecting from terrorists and populists. He failed to convince.
French EU nominee could fall after brutal hearing
French president Emmanuel Macron's EU nominee risks being scalped by the EP after a difficult hearing that focused on her financial improprieties.
Belgium's EU nominee sails through, despite allegations
Didier Reynders, Belgium's nominee for EU justice commissioner promised to be tough on Hungary and Poland, while brushing off corruption allegations in his parliament hearing.
Johansson: 'No new proposals in first 100 days'
The European Commission's possible next home affairs chief, who is responsible for creating a new pact on migration and asylum, struggled to provide MEPs any specific details on how to unblock the impasse over asylum.
Poland's 'vague' nominee flops in EU hearing
Poland's nominee for agriculture commissioner, Janusz Wojciechowski, is likely to face a second hearing after MEPs from top political groups lambasted his "vague" performance on Tuesday.
Belgium's EU nominee still embroiled in legal feud
Cache of 18 secret documents and allegations of death threats in fresh legal complaint surrounding Belgium's EU nominee, Didier Reynders, shortly after a low-level prosecutor cleared his name.
Two nominees cleared of fraud on eve of EU hearings
Two EU commission nominees - Didier Reynders and Janusz Wojciechowski - got an all-clear from fraud investigators on Friday, as MEPs start hearings on Monday.
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Latest News
- Brexit delay rolls into This WEEK
- Brexit impasse, as UK and EU refuse to move first
- Far right to double support in east German election
- US pours cold water on German plan for Syria
- EU enlargement freeze prompts Serbia rethink
- Time to end EU golden visas for corrupt elites
- Gas and oil spent €250m lobbying EU
- Europe quietly becoming a spy superpower
MEPs asked for final say on two nominees
MEPs on the legal affairs committee have been tasked to say if Hungary and Romania's European Commission candidates should stay or go.
Analysis
How MEPs will quiz the next commissioners
The EU parliament will organise public hearings to assess the future commissioners' suitability for their job and their knowledge about the portfolio they had assigned, before the new EU commission takes office on 1 November.
Interview
EP must be tougher on nominees, MEP says
European commissioners ought to be forced to sell shares in firms that they will one day regulate, a French MEP at the coalface of an EU vetting process has said.
Nine EU 'commissioners' asked to clarify declarations
Nine EU commissioner candidates have been taken to task for incomplete or "downright shocking" financial declarations by the European Parliament's legal affairs committee.
Von der Leyen unveils EU commissioners' portfolios
EU commission president-elect Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday unveiled her new team and their portfolios for the next college of European commissioners.
Update: This is the new European Commission
With all 27 EU countries - except the UK - having nominated their candidates, it is now clear what the next European Commission will look like.
Nato Stratcom finds EU election manipulation 'loopholes'
The Riga-based Nato Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence says it has uncovered loopholes on how social media is gamed to sway voters in the European elections.
Orban praises von der Leyen after first face-to-face
The EU Commission president-elect said she had a "good talk" with Hungary's controversial premier. Orban returned the praise, saying said the former German defence minister "thinks with [a] central Europeans' head".
Von der Leyen aims to 'rebalance Europe'
The German EU Commission president-elect hopes to bridge divisions within the EU, as she meets with EU leaders setting up her team of commissioners.
Selmayr shifted to Vienna, ahead of von der Leyen arrival
London and Washington had been rumoured, but instead the German political mastermind behind the EU commission will now work as a quasi-EU ambassador in Vienna. He irked many in Brussels but also shook things up.
EU commission has first-ever woman president
Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday obtained a narrow majority of support in the European Parliament to become the first-ever female president of the European Commission.
Von der Leyen reaches out to left and liberal MEPs
European Commission candidate Ursula von der Leyen has pledged a "fresh start" on migration and new powers for the EP in letters seeking socialist and liberal support.
Investigation
Farmers among new MEPs deciding on EU farming money
Renew Europe MEP Asger Christensen, from Denmark, earns €20,000 per month as a farmer. He became a member of the agriculture committee, which could create a conflict of interest situation.
Opinion
Weber: Six proposals in wake of Spitzenkandidat process
I will not lament the decision-making process that resulted in a package deal on the new leadership in Europe. I respect this result, which was in accordance with the treaties and therefore not undemocratic, albeit unsatisfactory.
EU parliament to vote on von der Leyen next week
MEPs will vote next Tuesday on the new commission president candidate, but her approval is far from certain. Von der Leyen will have to rely on votes from the right wing of the parliament to get the top job.
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