European Voice: Juncker’s team confirmed after further portfolio changes

22 October 2014

“The hearings have revealed a broad consensus around the team that I have proposed,” Juncker told MEPs. “You have, however, also expressed some concerns. I am ready to swiftly address the issues that you identified as relevant to the functioning of the new Commission.”

The proposed college of 28 commissioners put forward by Jean-Claude Juncker, the president-elect of the European Commission, was approved on 22 October by the European Parliament. 423 MEPs voted to approve the college, 209 voted against, and 67 abstained.

The approval follows several weeks of confirmation hearings by the Parliament’s committees. Juncker had to make several changes to his portfolio allocations in order to secure approval. Last week he announced two major portfolio changes,  with Violeta Bulc of Slovenia being given the transport portfolio and Maroš Šefčovič of Slovakia moved to energy union, following a rejection of the first Slovenian nominee Alenka Bratušek. This morning, before the vote, he announced further changes to portfolio allocations to address MEP concerns.

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