EPP-S&D decide on Bratušek replacement

Alenka Bratušek has withdrawn her candidacy, and the two main groups in the Parliament have proposed a centre-left MEP as Slovenia’s nominee.

The two main political groups in the European Parliament have agreed with Jean-Claude Juncker, the president-elect of the European Commission, that Tanja Fajon, a centre-left MEP, should be Slovenia’s member of the European Commission.

Fajon would replace Alenka Bratušek, who was initially nominated but withdrew her candidacy today (9 October). Bratušek, a former Slovenian prime minister who is affiliated with the liberal ALDE party, was rejected by a joint session of the European Parliament’s environment and industry, research and energy committees last night (8 October).

The deal between the centre-right European People’s Party and the centre-left Socialists and Democrats was struck this morning (9 October). The meeting involved Juncker, EPP group leader Manfred Weber, S&D group leader Gianni Pittella, and Martin Schulz, the president of the European Parliament, a Parliament source said.

However it is the Slovenian government which has the prerogative to put forward a new nominee.

Weber issued a statement after the meeting that said: “The EPP group will only support a woman candidate with experience. The list of the Slovenian government last summer included, for example, Tanja Fajon, MEP. She would match this request perfectly.”

Replacing Bratušek will require a decision by the Slovenian government, validated by the Council of Ministers, before the candidacy be put before the Parliament.

Juncker is mindful of the need not to put the Slovenian government under public pressure. Shortly before the news about Bratušek’s withdrawal, his spokesman would not discuss other possibilities for the Slovenian nomination. Any change of nominee “must come from Ljubljana and not from Brussels”, an official said.

A Parliament source said that Fajon was acceptable to the S&D because she is from the centre-left, and to the EPP because she has the necessary experience as an MEP to get through her confirmation hearing. Any new candidate from Slovenia would need more preparation time than Fajon, the source said.

This morning’s decision still leaves Juncker with another major problem – how to fill the vice-president for energy union post, which had been earmarked for Bratušek. Fajon is seen as too junior to be a vice-president, but designating another of the commissioners-designate would require yet another confirmation hearing.

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