Prime Minister Andrej Babiš will nominate Věra Jourová for a second term in the European Commission, he confirmed Monday.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels after talks with incoming Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Babiš heaped praise on Jourová, a member of his ANO party. She has served as European commissioner for justice, consumers and gender equality since 2014.
“Our Commissioner Věra Jourová was very successful,” Babiš said. “They don’t like her in all countries, also in our region, so it was quite difficult for her, but she got excellent results.”
“Of course we need this geographical and gender balance,” the prime minister said, noting that he would like to see the Czech Republic take an economic portfolio.
Jourová herself said in a statement that her country “could have a strong economic or digital portfolio.”
Babiš also spoke highly of von der Leyen, with whom he talked for over an hour. “She promised to unify Europe,” he said. “It is very positive that after Paris, Ursula von der Leyen visited Warsaw, and also we are very proud the Czech Republic could get this meeting today, and tomorrow she is flying to Croatia.”
It is “very important that the chief of Commission understand the mentality” of Central Europe, he said, urging compromises on migration, the EU’s long-term budget and climate issues.
Jourová is the eighth woman to be nominated for the new Commission, alongside female politicians from Germany, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Bulgaria, Malta, and Cyprus. Von der Leyen has set a goal of gender balance among commissioners, who are nominated by the 28 (soon to be 27) EU national governments.
Via Politico EU
