• yesterday
President von der Leyen steps in to broker a deal among major groups and salvage the new Commission.
Transcript
00:00The future of European Commission is in limbo.
00:07The six designated vice presidents were grilled on Tuesday by MEPs at the European Parliament.
00:12But instead of wrapping up the decision on the six most important members of Ursula von
00:16der Leyen's team, the process is dragging on.
00:20So it seems that the biggest political groups in the parliament made some kind of deal beforehand
00:26that everybody should pass.
00:28In order to bring the commission into office as quick as possible.
00:33But you know, this deal among the political groups seems to be broken now.
00:39There was a decision expected yesterday already, then today, and now it was postponed to next
00:44week.
00:45And so we don't know really when the decision will be made and what the outcome will be.
00:51If indeed, as originally planned, all commissioners will pass through or not.
00:57Everybody is against everybody right now.
00:59The European Popular Party didn't want to give its green light to Spanish socialist
01:03Teresa Rivera after the floods in Valencia.
01:06The socialists strongly criticized this stance, claiming that Rivera is used as a scapegoat.
01:12This could create a domino effect.
01:14If Rivera falls, it could mean that Italy's ultra-conservative Raffaele Fito could also
01:19fall, something that EPP is strongly rejecting.
01:24As the analysts explain, the role of EPP is very strong.
01:30Parliament works with majorities.
01:31You need 50% plus one for decisions to pass.
01:34And the EPP, together with all the parties that sit to the right of them, have a majority.
01:39But also the EPP can build majorities to its left, together with the social democrats and
01:43the liberals, as happened in the last term most of the times.
01:46So basically, the EPP is the kingmaker.
01:48It can go to the left and it can go to the right to make majorities.
01:50So that makes it very powerful at the moment.
01:53And also in all decisions concerned of the hearings, when it comes to the organization
01:56of the hearings, but also when it comes now to the decisions which candidates pass and
02:01which not, the EPP has a very prominent role.
02:05Time is of the essence for the EU Commission, which needs to be ready before Donald Trump
02:09takes office in the US.

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