European Parliament Hearings - Which Commissioner will win and who will lose? Our Top and Flop
It’s nearly crunch time in Brussels. Crowds are filling the streets ahead of the hearings for the Commissioners-designate, and as they say, pressure creates diamonds.
The hearings will take place from November 4 to November 12, each Commissioner-designate will be heard by their respective committee(s). You will find the full line-up here and our top/flop below.
As a reminder, some committees can join in and ask questions if the portfolio concerns them. There are lead committees, where each political group asks questions during the hearings, and associated committees, which join but only ask the questions pre-agreed upon by their overall committee.
To be endorsed, a commissioner must receive at least two-thirds support from the political group coordinators. Since not all coordinators carry the same weight, depending on the results of the EU election, securing support from the EPP is crucial. If they don’t, MEPs can submit written questions to the Commissioner or request a follow-up hearing. If a candidate is rejected during the EU Parliament Committee hearings, the President of the Commission must go back to the Member States to propose a replacement. If all the hearings go smoothly, the European Parliament is expected to vote at absolute majority on endorsing the full college of Commissioners during the November 25-28 session.
These types of EU Parliament hearings can be thorny for Commissioners, sometimes lasting until 4 hours. We've gathered for you our top and flop picks from the upcoming hearings, along with insights on why these sessions are bound to be fiery.