Germany - Günther Oettinger (EPP)

Until his nomination, Oettinger was the PM of Baden-Württenberg state. He was a staunch economic-liberal, and part of the so-called Andenpakt, an influential power alliance within the CDU. However, his attempts to curry the favours of his socially conservative local party didn't work out that well (see Whitewashing History (or: Judging a Judge) on his eulogy for a dead CDU leader with a Nazi past), and he had not much to show locally while his federal-level initiatives angered Merkel, so he became a liability. Off to Brussels with him!

Meanwhile, German newspapers report that Guenter Oettinger may be given industry with something else tacked on to flesh out the portfolio

As we discussed here, the nomination was seen differently in Germany and Brussels. In Brussels, there was open dismay, as people haven't heard of Oettinger and think he is neither a heavyweight nor competent for the job. In Germany however, he is seen by media as a heavyweight and economy expert, who was dumped as a problem for the CDU alright, but who is ambitious enough for the job -- some speculated that he may battle his own national government over competition issues. He is a neolib faithful, after all.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

The Netherlands - Neelie Kroes (ELDR)

In more recent times, the incumbent Competition Commissioner received praise from observers (and attacks from lobby groups) for the fines slapped on various cartels and for interventions into monopolistic mergers, in particular for decisions affecting big American companies. On the other hand, for her ealier activities, I saw her as a true ideological heir of Bolkestein, believing in marketising everything and fighting state intervention into the economy in the name of fighting protectionism, whatever policy it truly serves.

On the Kroes re-appointment, also see Oui's  Kroes Nomination Not A Surprise.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

Austria - Johannes Hahn (EPP)

Was Austria's young Science and Research minister, with not much to show for it. He produced one row: he wanted Austria to leave CERN, to save money.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

Czech Republic - Štefan Füle (PES) [why can't EUobserver do accents consistently?]

International career diplomat. Last time, he was the abmassador to NATO... The PES connection is rather light; and he replaces Vladimír Špidla (a former PM), whose vague leftist overtures as Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Commissioner were apparently too pesky for both main parties in the Czech Republic...

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

Olli Rehn has proved reasonably competent as the tumescent European Commissioner for Enlargement, and has been noted as a Finnish Presidential candidate for 2012.

But there is a Finnish feature documentary movie (Dir: Pekka Lehto) coming out in January and it is hard to predict how that may affect his image - though my guess is that it will enhance it. I have covered the story here already, but briefly: his close friend, career diplomat Alpo Rusi was falsely accused of being a Stasi informant, and this was wrapped by the media (via leaks) into his work for then President Ahtisaari in negotiating, via dubious but imposed Russian connections, for the surrender of Slobodan Milošević.

Rehn has used all his power in domestic politics to protect and absolve Rusi. And imho taken a very moral but risky stand on the issue. He and Rusi both appear in the movie and have closely collaborated with the makers. I haven't yet seen the final cut, but I have seen the script and it is going to make some waves.

Since Rusi was on difficult 'European business' in trying to effect a tricky move with Milošević, I assume Rehn's support for him is well understood in Euroland.

Rehn is a committed European (he led the Centre for European Studies 2002-3) and I do not believe that the now increasingly ceremonial post of Finnish President will appeal. He's still only 47, so it's not yet time for a sinecure.

I'll report on the movie, hopefully before it's release. The producer is an old colleague.


You can't be me, I'm taken

Hungary - László Andor (PES)

An university economist who later sat on the board of the EBRD. He was not much active in politics, though I read he sat on the economics platform of the Hungarian Socialist Party, and was government advisor. He co-authored a book about the neocons and the Iraq War (summing up all we know from the blogosphere), but still I don't know what to expect if he gets an economic portfolio.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

Ireland - Maire Geoghegan Quinn (ELDR)

Also see Frank Schnittger's Corrupting Justice: Ireland's EU Commissioner.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

Poland - Janusz Lewandowski (EPP)

Yet another neolib economist. Also a MEP.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

Romania - Dacian Cioloş (EPP)

A non-party-member former minister chosen with the stated aim to get the agriculture portfolio for Romania, which still depends on agricuture as an important employer. However, Cioloş is also a member of the Bruges Group...

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

Greece: Maria Damanaki (PES): Still respected as the "voice" of the radio station of the Athens Polytechnic's uprising in 1973.

Former Communist Party cadre and parliamentarian, then Leader of the Coalition of the Left (reformed communists, eurocommunists, various leftists, greens etc), then moving from the right of her party to the socialists after George Papandreou was elected to the presidency of PASOK.

Currently there is talk about her becoming commissioner for education (she was shadow minister for education while PASOK was in opposition). If that is the case she will have to tread carefully and mind the effects of what she does and says back home, as PASOK will soon be under immense pressure by students and academics to make good of its promise to defend "public education".
Maritime affairs seems more likely though.
There has been also some discussion about Employment and Social affairs, though she would be theoretically well to the left of commission policy on such matters and I think that would be unlikely.

(Poor) W/P entry

The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom - William Blake

Cyprus - Androulla Vassiliou (ELDR): A Liberal Democrat reappointed by the ruling communist party (AKEL), although the small scale of cypriot society makes some distinctions blurry: she's also the wife of former President of Cyprus George Vassiliou, who was elected with the backing of AKEL. She is already Commissioner for Health and she probably will continue in the same post.

The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom - William Blake

Luxembourg - Viviane Reding (EPP)

Reding was a good Commissioner at the Information Society portfolio -- at least with regard to regulating business. Since the post will have some further elements related to Competition, it makes some sense to have Kroes doing this portfolio. It would also make sense to have Reding at Competition.

European Tribune - Our new Commissioners

Spain - Joaquín Almunia (PES)

What do we know about him?

Joaquín Almunia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Joaquín Almunia Amann (born 17 June 1948) is a Spanish politician and prominent member of the European Commission, responsible for Economic and Monetary Affairs.

Born in Bilbao, he is married and has two children. He graduated in Law and Economics at the University of Deusto, and completed follow-up studies at the École Pratique des Hautes Études in Paris and the "Senior managers in Government" program at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He was an associate lecturer on Employment and Social Security Law at the University of Alcalá de Henares.

Almunia was chief economist of the Unión General de Trabajadores, a Spanish trade union, from 1976 to 1979. He was economist at the Council Bureau of the Spanish Chambers of Commerce in Brussels from 1972 to 1975.

Almunia was a Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) Member of the Cortes Generales from 1979 to 2004, representing Madrid. He was Minister of Employment and Social Security from 1982 to 1986 and Minister of Public Administration from 1986 to 1991, and was PSOE spokesperson from 1994 to 1997, then leader from 1997 to 2000. In 2000, he was the PSOE candidate for Prime Minister.

Almunia was director of the research program on Equality and redistribution of income at the Fundación Argentaria from 1991 to 1994. In 2002, he founded and was director of the progressive think tank Laboratorio de Alternativas.

He first joined the Prodi Commission on 26 April 2004 as a successor to Pedro Solbes who resigned to join the new Zapatero Government and was re-appointed with Barroso back in November 2004.

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

Sweden - Cecilia Malmström (ELDR)

Has a phd in political science. Two term MEP, presently minister in charge of EU questions (sort of a coordinator position as I understand it) and vice president in the liberal party.

She is not really on my political radar, which means she has not had very high profile. But I do have a vaguely good feeling about her, which might stem from her being an academic or some other irrelevant factor.

Title of phd thesis:

Regionen, makten och härligheten : regionala partier i Västeuropa

The Region, The Power and The Glory: Regional parties in Western Europe.

A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!

I added to the story information on which commissioners are new and which are returning (from wiki.

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

France

Michel Barnier (EPP)

Replaces Jacques Barrot (EPP)

Barnier, a member of Chirac's RPR, then Sarkozy's UMP party and VP of EPP, has been first known as a MP representing a Savoy constituency (although he was born near Grenoble - wiki).

He had several cabinet appointments under J.Chirac in the 90's, more recently as Minister of Agriculture for N.Sarkozy until last June when he was elected to the EP (he led the UMP list).

He has been pitted for the Internal market (including financial services) commissioner slot, a move that has British Conservatives hopping mad ("Mr Barnier could use his position to pursue a French agenda").

Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.

This is the type of thing we could do more often at ET - bringing in local information and 'feel' for pan-european issues. I don't see why we can't do this better than any tradmed.

There is, admittedly, not a wide audience at the moment for such aggregations except perhaps the inhabitants within the Beltway of Brussels. (Is there a similar name in EU-speak??, Nanne?). I think times are changing. We are a long way still from an EP election that isn't crammed with MEPS entering on national protest votes that usually have had nothing to do with Europe, but I sense from some conversations recently that Europe might get some more play, at least in the Finnish media.

You can't be me, I'm taken

Charlie McCreevy (ELDR) can best be described as Charlie McCreevy (Charlie McCreevy).

Fianna Fail were in UEN when he joined the Commission, and he was always a bit of a loose cannon even in the famously tribal Fianna Fail.  Ideologically he is neo-lib so perhaps ELDR isn't the worst shorthand description as he was part of an internal struggle within Fianna Fail moving it from a Nationalist into a globalist direction..

notes from no w here

EUobserver / New commission takes shape amid speculations and wishlists

The EU commission's most influential jobs - competition and economic affairs - seem to have been earmarked for two veterans on the Barroso team - Spaniard Joaquin Almunia and Finn Olli Rehn, news wires and national media in Germany, France and Italy report.

...

One point of uncertainty concerns France's Michel Barnier, who could get the internal market file, but stripped of its financial regulation elements, which most likely will become a separate portfolio. It is still unclear what Paris' next move will be if this is the case. President Nicolas Sarkozy could even withdraw Mr Barnier and put forward Christine Lagarde, whose strong credentials could re-jig the whole scheme, some EU officials speculate.

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma