2023-10-05 13:49:39
The European Parliament (EP) has validated this Thursday the candidacy of the Dutchman Wopke Hoekstra as the new European Commissioner for Climate Action and the new coordination responsibilities of the European Green Deal for the Slovakian Maros Sefcovic, who will be executive vice president of the European Commission after the departure by Frans Timmermans.
Economic and electoral interests threaten the green agenda in Europe
Hoekstra’s nomination went ahead with 279 votes in favor, 173 against and 33 abstentions, while Sefcovic’s did so with 322 votes in favor, 158 against and 37 abstentions, in two secret votes.
The replacement of both senior positions in the Climate portfolio in the European Commission occurs after the former executive vice-president responsible for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, left his position last August to attend the legislative elections in the Netherlands on Next November 22nd.
The popular Hoekstra and the social democrat Sefcovic have sent their declarations of interests to the European Parliament and have appeared at a hearing before the MEPs specializing in the Environment on Monday night and Tuesday morning respectively, where both promised a continuous and ambitious management to complete and implement the abundant legislation approved or in process on the energy and ecological transition.
The crossed vetoes between the progressive and conservative blocs in the European Parliament, as well as appearances branded as “insufficient” or “vague”, have forced both candidates to provide more written answers to convince the MEPs, who have finally reached the two-thirds in favor needed on Wednesday morning.
Both candidates received the support of the European PP, the Social Democrats, the Liberals and the Greens, enough to leave the opposition of conservatives, far-right and left in a minority.
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