Ursula von der Leyen is expected to announce the next round of European Commissioners today in Strasbourg and the position of EU Commissioner for Mobility and Transport is expected to be Apostolos Tzitzikostas, according to a source at In.gr.
Apostolos Tzitzikostas’ Candidacy
Apostolos Tzitzikostas is a Greek politician who has served as governor of Central Macedonia since 2013 and was the President of the European Committee of the Regions from 2020-2022.
When Tzitzikostas was nominated as Greece’s candidate, he was promoted as a person with a broader political character with institutional experience in Greece and Europe, a young candidate, and a person who had been elected several times with a great percentage of the vote in Greece.
An article at In.gr highlights that Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis supported von der Leyen’s re-election for the next 5 years as head of the Commission under the condition that Greece would have a ‘significant portfolio’.
In Brussels, this means positions with executive authority and resources, such as Commissioner, as opposed to Vice President, which is largely a symbolic role.
For Greece, the transport portfolio is indeed ‘significant’, due to the role of shipping in the country and geopolitically. Also, In.gr says it would be unlikely for Greece to get a heavier portfolio, like energy, as such jobs will likely go to stronger EU countries.
All Eyes are on von der Leyen’s List
Parliament President Roberta Metsola met with von der Leyen yesterday at Strasbourg and pressured the latter to reveal both the College structure and the names attached to the portfolios on Tuesday. Metsola cited “new rules,” which require von der Leyen to unveil the list of names that will be serving as the EU’s new Commissioners.
All eyes are on von der Leyen today to see if she will manage to keep a balance of gender, geography and competence in a Europe where issues seem to be heating up, as opposed to simmering down.
