New EU Commission to have as many women as men

BRUSSELS: Incoming EU president Ursula von der Leyen’s European Commission will meet her gender balance target, with 13 women and 14 men leading the bloc’s new executive.

The lineup was announced on Monday, the day before von der Leyen is to assign roles to the nominees chosen by the governments of 27 EU members. The former German defence minister had stated before inviting EU capitals to name their candidates that she hoped to achieve gender balance in her top team.

Many countries did not send in two names as requested, but enough qualified women were nominated to allow her to name the EU’s largest female contingent yet. "This follows a series of formal interviews President-elect von der Leyen held over the past weeks with each of the persons suggested, " her office said.

On Tuesday, von der Leyen will assign portfolios to each, after which member states and the EU parliament must approve the list. Britain has not nominated a commissioner, as Brussels assumes that Brexit will take place on October 31, one day before von der Leyen takes office.