EC COMMISSION LINE UP: LOBBYING AT ITS BEST

Each Commissioner is first nominated by their member state in consultation with the Commission President, although the President holds little practical power to force a change in candidate. The more capable the candidate is, the more likely the Commission President will assign them a powerful portfolio, the distribution of which is entirely at his discretion. The President's team is then subject to hearings at the European Parliament which will question them and then vote on their suitability as a whole. If members of the team are found to be inappropriate, the President must then reshuffle the team or request a new candidate from the member state or risk the whole Commission being voted down. As Parliament cannot vote against individual Commissioners there is usually a compromise whereby the worst candidates are removed but minor objections are put aside so the Commission can take office.

1. Austria

• Johannes Hahn Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP - EPP) Possible women replacements: Doris Bures (PES), Transport, Innovation and Technology Minister; Maria Fekter (EPP), Finance Minister 2011-2013; Ursula Plassnik (EPP), Foreign Minister 2004-2008

2. Belgium

• Karel De Gucht (ALDE; European Commissioner for Trade)
• Elio Di Rupo (PES; Outgoing Prime Minister)
• Marianne Thyssen (EPP; MEP and Former CD&V Party Leader)
• Kris Peeters (EPP; Outgoing Minister-President of Flanders)
• Didier Reynders (ALDE; Foreign Minister)
• Joëlle Milquet (EPP; Interior Minister)

3. Bulgaria

• Kristalina Georgieva (EPP; European Commissioner for Humanitarian Relief)
• Gergana Passy (Former Europe Minister)
• Nadezhda Neynski (EPP; Former Foreign Minister)
• Kristian Vigenin (PES; Outgoing Foreign Minister and Former MEP

4. Croatia

• Neven Mimica Social Democratic Party (SDP - PES) Possible women replacements: Vesna Pusic (ALDE), Foreign Minister; Milanka Opacic (PES), Social Welfare and Youth Minister

5. Cyprus

• Mario Karoyian (EPP; Former Democratic Rally Leader)
• Christos Stylianidis (EPP; MEP and Former Government Spokesperson)
• Ioannis Kasoulidis (EPP; Foreign Minister)

6. Czech Republic

• Pavel Mertlík (PES; Former Finance Minister)
• Pavel Telicka (ALDE; MEP and Former European commissioner)
• Vera Jourová (ALDE; European Funds Minister)
• Stefan Fule (PES; European Commissioner for Enlargement)
• Petr Blizkovsky (EPP; Official at Council of the European Union)

7. Denmark

• Morten Bødskov (PES; Former Justice minister)
• Mette Gjerskov (PES, Former Agriculture Minister)
• Christine Antorini (PES; Education Minister)

8. Estonia

• Andrus Ansip Estonia Reform Party (RE - ALDE) Possible women replacements: Anne Sulling (ALDE), Foreign Trade and Entrepreneurship Minister; Laine Randjärv (ALDE), Culture Minister 2007-2011 and Vice-President of Estonian Parliament

9. Finland

• Jyrki Katainen National Coalition Party (Kokoomus - EPP) Possible women replacements: Henna Virkkunen (EPP), Former Local Government Minister 2011-2014 and current MEP; Jutta Urpilainen (PES), Finance Minister 2011-2014

10. France

• Pierre Moscovici (PES; Former Finance Minister)
• Martine Aubry (PES; Former Social Affairs Minister)
• Élisabeth Guigou (PES; Former Europe Minister)
• Pervenche Berès (PES, MEP)
• Catherine Trautmann (PES; Former MEP)

11. Germany

• Günther Oettinger Christian Democrat Union (CDU - EPP) Possible women replacements: Ursula von der Leyen (EPP), Defence Minister; Johanna Wanka (EPP), Education and Research Minister

12. Greece

• Dora Bakoyannis (EPP; Former Foreign Minister)
• Evangelos Venizelos (PES; Foreign Minister)
• Kostis Hatzidakis (EPP; Development and Competitiveness Minister)

13. Hungary

• Eniko Gyori (EPP; Former Europe minister)
• Tibor Navracsics (EPP; Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister)
• József Szájer (EPP; MEP)

14. Ireland

• Phil Hogan Fine Gael (EPP) Possible women replacements: Mairead McGuinness (EPP), European Parliament Vice-President

15. Italy

• Paolo De Castro (PES; MEP)
• Enzo Moavero Milanesi (Former Europe Minister)
• Emma Bonino (ALDE; Former Foreign Minister and European Commissioner)
• Federica Mogherini (PES; Foreign Minister)

16. Lithuania

• Vytenis Andriukaitis Social Democratic Party (LSDP - PES) Possible women replacements: Birute Vesaite (PES), economy minister 2012-2013 is a possibility, but there is no really obvious female candidate

17. Latvia

• Valdis Dombrovskis Unity (V - EPP) Possible women replacements: Sandra Kalniete (EPP), Foreign Minister 2002-2004, Agriculture commissioner 2004, current MEP; Solvita Aboltina (EPP), Justice Minister 2004- 2006 and President of the Latvian Parliament

18. Luxembourg

• Jean-Claude Juncker Christian Social People’s Party (CSV - EPP) Elected by the European Parliament

19. Malta

• Karmenu Vella Labour (PES) Possible women replacements: Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca (PES), President of Malta – however, there is no really obvious female candidate

20. Netherlands

• Neelie Kroes (ALDE; Vice-President of the Commission for the Digital Agenda)
• Frans Timmermans (PES; Foreign Minister)
• Jeroen Dijsselbloem (PES; Finance Minister)
• Liliane Ploumen (PES; Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Minister)
• Lousewies van der Laan (Vice-President of ALDE)

21. Poland

• Jan-Vincent Rostowski (EPP; Former Finance minister)
• Radoslaw Sikorski (EPP; Foreign Minister)
• Danuta Hübner (EPP; Chair of the European Parliament Committee on Constitutional Affairs)

22. Portugal

• Vitor Gaspar (Former Finance Minister)
• Paulo Portas (EPP; Deputy Prime Minister)
• Miguel Poiares Maduro (EPP; Regional Development Minister)
• Maria Graca Carvalho (EPP; Former Science and Education Minister)
• Maria Luis Albuquerque (EPP; Finance Minister)
• Maria Joao Rodrigues (PES; MEP, Academic and Former Commission Advisor)

23. Romania

• Corina Cretu (PES; European Parliament Vice-President)
• Titus Corlatean (PES; Foreign Minister)
• Rovana Plumb (PES; Labour and Social Protection Minister)
• Dacian Ciolos (EPP; European Commissioner for Agriculture)

24. Slovakia

• Maroš Šefcovic (Vice-President of the European Commission for Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration) Possible women replacements: Zuzana Zvolenska (PES), Health Minister

25. Slovenia

• Janez Potocnik (ALDE; Commissioner for the Environment)
• Alenka Bratušek (ALDE; Outgoing Prime Minister)
• Anton Rop (PES; Former Prime Minister)
• Igor Luksic (PES; Former Party Leader)

26. Spain

• Miguel Arias Cañete (EPP; MEP and Former Agriculture Minister)
• Luis de Guindos Jurado (EPP; Economy and Competitiveness Minister)
• Ana Pastor (EPP; Health Minister)
• Pilar del Castillo (EPP; MEP and Former Culture Minister)

27. Sweden

• Fredrik Reinfeldt (EPP; Prime Minister)
• Carl Bildt (EPP; Foreign Minister)
• Cecilia Malmström (ALDE; Commissioner for Home Affairs)
• Marita Ulvskog (PES; MEP and Former Deputy Prime Minister)
• Birgitta Ohlsson (ALDE; Europe Minister)
• Gunilla Karlsson (EPP; Former Development Minister)

28. United Kingdom

• Jonathan Hill Leader of the House of Lords 2013-2014 Conservative Party (AECR) Possible women replacements: Theresa Villiers (AECR), Northern Ireland Secretary; Sayeeda Warsi (AECR), Junior Foreign Office Minister; Caroline Spelman (AECR), Former Environment Secretary