A day after Ursula von der Leyen‘s easy re-election as the head of the European Commission, all attention is now focused on the allocation of Commissioners’ portfolios.
Unlike in 2019, when Athens immediately revealed its cards by proposing Margaritis Schinas, the current Greek government is keeping its intentions secret, as it is clearly aiming for a strong portfolio.
The reason Athens is pursuing a strong portfolio is directly related to Ursula von der Leyen’s easy re-election, given the role Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis played in it.
The Greek Prime Minister mentioned in a recent interview with SKAI that the country’s nominee will depend on the portfolio Greece receives.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis will propose two names
According to government sources, Mr. Mitsotakis will propose two names for the Commissioner position, a man and a woman, as requested by the Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, allowing her to make the final decision.
One strong candidate is the Governor of Central Macedonia, Apostolos Tzitzikostas. Mr. Tzitzikostas’s European experience, leading the Committee of the Regions – the third most important European body – makes him a prominent candidate. He was the first Greek to head such an organization.
Another name mentioned is the Minister of Labour, Niki Kerameus. However, it is well known that Kyriakos Mitsotakis usually avoids decisions that lead to frequent changes in the government lineup.
The Portfolios
Information regarding the portfolio that the Greek government is aiming for, indicates that Athens is targeting the Competitiveness portfolio, although this is considered highly challenging, as it is typically assigned to major countries, the so-called “engines” of the Union.
The Enlargement portfolio also interests Greece significantly due to its relevance to our neighboring countries, while the Agriculture portfolio, due to the restructuring of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), is equally important but appears to be off the table.
A new Housing portfolio might be given to a Southern European country, but it does not seem to be a priority for the Greek government.
