Did you know that the hearings of the Commissioners-Designate ended last week?

The European Parliament recently held hearings for the Commissioners-designate between 4 and 12 November, the last step in the formation of the new European Commission. These hearings give MEPs the opportunity to evaluate the qualifications, priorities, and vision of the proposed candidates who will shape the EU’s policy agenda for the next five years.

While most hearings concluded successfully, the fate of the Executive Vice-Presidents remains uncertain. Teresa Ribera Rodríguez, Henna Virkkunen, Stéphane Séjourné, Kaja Kallas, Roxana Mînzatu, and Raffaele Fitto are still awaiting confirmation. Their appointments hinge on ongoing negotiations between the European Parliament’s political groups.

The political groups serve as judge, jury, and executioner in these hearings, carefully scrutinizing nominees to ensure they meet the expectations of the new mandate of the European Commission.

As a result, there will be no validation of the nominees before today, 20 November, leaving these high-stakes decisions hanging for a little while longer.