Sexism, lobbyist, anti-European: EU Commission picks to face grilling
(BRUSSELS) - The 28 men and women picked to run the EU for the next five years face a grilling by the European Parliament this week. Here are five candidates under particular pressure as they sit down to face lawmakers.
MIGUEL ARIAS CANETE: The conservative Spaniard is set to lead the Energy and Climate Commission - a combination of roles that many lawmakers believe would be better served by two different commissioners. But opposition is sharpest over Canete's reported ties to big energy and he has been forced to sell shares in oil companies in anticipation of the hearings. Canete is also accused of sexism after making macho comments at a debate last year.
JONATHAN HILL : A former lobbyist, Britain's nominee to become financial services commissioner will face gruelling hearings with lawmakers worried to see a British Conservative take responsibility of overseeing Europe's banks, a sector crucial to London and blamed by many for causing the financial crisis.
But the potential of fireworks diminished somewhat after the job was stripped of the highly sensitive responsibility of overseeing bankers pay.
Still, Hill's euroscepticism and presumed connections to City of London bankers will prove a tough obstacle.
TIBOR NAVRACSICS: Navracsics, a former Hungarian justice minister, is no stranger to Brussels, as he has repeatedly clashed with the EU over controversial legislation introduced in Hungary by Prime Minster Viktor Orban such as laws on media regulation and the justice system that critics have said curb press freedom and undermine the independence of the judiciary.
Particularly galling to his critics, Navracsics is the pick to be Commissioner of Culture, Education, Youth and Citizenship. He can expect tough questions in his hearing - on the other hand a rejection of Navracsics would provide the deeply eurosceptic Orban fresh ammunition against Brussels.
PIERRE MOSCOVICI: The socialist Moscovici had to overcome severe reservations from budget-conscious Berlin to win the nomination to become the EU's Economic Affairs Commissioner.
His tenure as French finance minister under President Francois Hollande could still prove problematic. On the one hand, balanced budget hawks point to France's long history of missing deficit targets, while leftist lawmakers criticise Moscovici's complacent attitude to the French banking lobby during his tenure as minister.
ALENKA BRATUSEK: Slovenia's Bratusek is the pick to become Vice President of Energy Union, a hot and newly-created post given the Russian threat to Europe's gas supplies. But she is bitterly opposed at home, accused of nominating herself for the job after losing an election. She is also from a small country, and lacks heavyweight support to back her candidacy.