The European Union needs to “show boys and girls” that leadership means men and women “leading together”, Vestager said.
The Outgoing European Commissioner, Margrethe Vestagerhas denounced EU governments for undermining Ursula von der Leyen’s efforts to appoint a “college” of Commissioners with gender balancecharged with leading the powerful EU executive.
The capitals They have ignored the explicit request of von der Leyen that a male and female candidate be part of his next executive, in order to give you room to maneuver to achieve the proper gender balance.
“Unfortunately, it is an unmasking of the lack of efforts regarding equal opportunities and gender balance,” Vestager, who has made a name for herself, told ‘Euronews’ on Monday a heavyweight reputation during her decade as European Commissioner.
Vestager spoke hours after Belgium, which has nominated Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib, presented the last candidacy for commissioner. “Ursula von der Leyen asked for something completely legitimate: give me two candidates, a man and a woman, and then I will compose my Commission in a way that is gender balanced and that the people have the necessary skills“Added Vestager. “I think it is a real shame that the Member States do not comply.”
Von der Leyen sent her request for two names to the capitals, which representing both sexesshortly after his re-election as head of the Commission was confirmed in July. Of the Member States to which asked to propose candidatesonly one -Bulgaria- has responded to Von der Leyen’s request by proposing two candidates.
Only eight of these countries have presented female candidateswhich means that only ten (37%) of the names listed for form the next executive They are women. Among them are von der Leyen herself, who represents Germany as President, and the Estonian Kaja Kallas, appointed by EU leaders in June to become the next EU High Representative for Foreign Policy.
Von der Leyen is expected to hand over the portfolios to the candidates in the coming weeks. They will then have to undergo a hearing before the European Parliament and a confirmation vote before taking office in their respective positions.
Apparently, Von der Leyen is doing the last efforts to convince some Member States to change their male candidates to women, offering a more attractive political portfolio to those who agree to that request. Romania was the first country to change candidates on Monday, with MEP Roxana Mînzatu and Victor Negrescu withdrawing.
We were progressing
Vestager, who has served as Danish EU Commissioner for two consecutive five-year terms, has built a reputation as Brussels’ antitrust czar, imposing heavy fines for the largest companies of the world for abusing its dominant position in the market.
It has also become a thorn in the side of big companies technologies, helping to spearhead the innovative digital regulations of the block – the Digital Services Law – and the first regulation in the world aimed at putting limits to artificial intelligence technology. Thanks to her achievements, TIME magazine included her in the list of 100 most influential people of the world in 2023.
As she told Euronews, she regrets that a sufficient number of female candidates has not been guaranteed, as it represents a setback in executive efforts community for demonstrating that a Commission balanced between men and women is “capable of doing unprecedented work.
“It is a simple act of justice that both genders participate in leadership,” Vestager said. “You need all the talent you can have, and you also need to reflect different life experiences on the Commission,” she added. “And it is necessary to show the boys and girls that this is what leadership is like: men and women leading together“.
Vestager left the door open to a return to public life after her decades-long tenure ends in the fall. He told ‘Euronews’ that he hopes his “ambitions” for Europe can still “find a way out” after leave the community executivewhich imposes strict restrictions after the mandate to avoid revolving doors.
“I think the geopolitics of this world is something that should encourage Europe to engage much more with the world around us,” he said, “so there are a lot of things I would love to work on.”
