Breaking news has revealed a concerning gender imbalance in the latest EU Commissioner picks, with a majority of countries choosing male candidates. Out of 17 countries that have announced their nominees, only five have selected a woman, making up just 29% of the total candidates. This is a significant decrease from the previous term, which had 48% women.
In an effort to promote gender equality, EU President Ursula von der Leyen called on member states to nominate both a male and a female candidate, in order to create a more balanced College of Commissioners. However, her request has largely been ignored, posing an early challenge for her second term in office.
The College of Commissioners is crucial to steering the EU’s executive arm, with one representative from each member state. Despite von der Leyen’s efforts, only five women have been nominated out of the 17 announced candidates.
As the deadline for EU governments to submit their nominees looms on August 30th, von der Leyen is set to conduct interviews this week. Following this, the selected candidates will be assigned policy portfolios in preparation for their appointment votes in September and October.
The scarcity of female candidates for Commissioner posts is evident, with men continuing to dominate the race for nominations. This gender imbalance has raised concerns about von der Leyen’s commitment to women’s rights and her credibility as an advocate for gender equality.
The lack of female nominees also highlights the ongoing struggle for gender equality in leadership positions, despite efforts to promote diversity and gender balance. Von der Leyen faces the challenge of ensuring gender parity within her team while relying on the goodwill of EU leaders.
The issue remains uncertain as several countries have justified their failure to nominate both genders by claiming to select the best candidate for the job. This presents a significant hurdle for von der Leyen as she continues her efforts to address the gender imbalance within her team.
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