Austria nominates Finance Minister Brunner as EU commissioner

[ad_1]

Austria’s Conservative-led coalition government has nominated Conservative Finance Minister Magnus Brunner as the next European Commissioner, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said in a statement on Wednesday (July 31).

Two weeks ago, German conservative Ursula von der Leyen was re-elected by the European Parliament as President of the European Commission, the EU’s executive body, for a five-year term.

Von der Leyen said she would invite member states to submit two candidates for commissioner, one man and one woman. Austria nominated Brunner, joining many countries, including France and Slovakia, in making an abstract submission on her application.

Countries are expected to nominate candidates for the European Commission in the coming weeks. Once the list of candidates is released, the EU will begin a months-long process of vetting the candidates for conflicts of interest before EU lawmakers hold hours-long hearings to question them about their plans to serve as Commissioners.

“Magnus Brunner is an experienced government politician with extensive expertise in finance, economics and competition policy at national and European level,” Nehammer said in a statement on social media platform X.

Austria’s nomination for Brunner, 52, still needs a cabinet decision and formal approval by a main committee in the lower house of parliament, but both ruling parties have agreed, so the decisions are largely formalities.

Austria’s next parliamentary election is scheduled for September 29, when the new European Commission will not yet take office. The new European Commission will be established in October at the earliest.

A spokesman for Nehammer’s office said Brenner’s nomination was an independent decision, denying reports that it was part of a package of appointments agreed upon by the two sides that included the next president of the Austrian National Bank.

Conservative Economy Minister Martin Kocher remains the favorite to become the central bank’s governor. Current president Robert Holzmann will serve until August 31, 2025.

(Editing by Georgi Gotev)