Thread by @spornschlegel

Crazy day in Brussels with non-stop commenting on the new #EUcommission. Here is my take on it (thread): /1

The new Commission is gender-balanced with 13 female Commissioner-designates & represents the current European political landscape will with a good balance between S&D, EPP & RE. There is also a good mix of important portfolios for bigger and smaller European countries. /2

This Commission is quite experienced with many new Commissioner-designates having worked as ministers in their home countries. Expertise should therefore not be missing. /3

No one expected eight Vice-Presidents. This means Ursula von der Leyen carries on with the organisational structure that was started with the last Juncker Commission, but streamlines it with the new positions of executive vice-presidents. /4

Vestager, Timmermans and Dombrovskis reflect von der Leyen’s Commission priorities: The digital agenda, the green new deal, and a (hopefully more social) market economy. It will be interesting to see how this new structure plays out. /5

It was strategically smart to appoint Věra Jourová - a liberal from a Visegrad country - as VP for Values and Transparency. This could mean VdL is looking for constructive dialogue rather than confrontation to resolve the rule of law issues. /6

Coining a VP's portfolio “Protecting our European Way of Life” and putting migration policy under this title is questionable. Does this mean “Fortress Europe” or abiding to European values of tolerance and human rights? /7

There could be issues with the appointments of the Hungarian, Polish and Romanian Commissioner-designates. Maybe Ursula von der Leyen expects the Hungarian Commissioner-designate to not make it through the hearing in the Parliament... /8

...but giving him the Enlargement & Neighbourhood portfolio is already quite a statement – do not expect any big progress in this particular area in the next five years. /9

France and Italy are the big winners in this new Commission, with both Sylvie Goulard and Paolo Gentiloni getting large & strategically important portfolios. Both Ireland and Austria also did well with Trade for Phil Hogan and Budget for Johannes Hahn. /10 & the end!