"Recognized European"

NEOS: ÖVP rebel to become new EU Commissioner

Search for EU Commissioner: NEOS leader Meinl-Reisinger raises eyebrows with an interesting proposal one week before the EU elections.

(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger has put forward the current Vice-President of the European Parliament, Othmar Karas (ÖVP), as the future domestic EU Commissioner. "Othmar Karas is a European politician recognized across party lines and a flawless European", explained Meinl-Reisinger. 

One week before the EU elections, Meinl-Reisinger's proposal to put Karas in the running for EU Commissioner has raised eyebrows. "In the interests of Austria's important role in Europe", the black-green federal government should make a decision "quickly", the NEOS chairwoman believes.

Karas no longer standing in EU elections
Othmar Karas is Austria's longest-serving and best-known ÖVP MEP. However, he will no longer be standing in the EU elections on June 9 due to differences with the party leadership. The 66-year-old emphasized that the ÖVP is no longer the European party that he helped to shape back then. However, Karas wants to remain a member of the ÖVP. Recently, there has been repeated speculation that Karas could form his own list. So far, however, this has failed to materialize. 

Othmar Karas

(Bild: APA/Eva Manhart)

Proposal is the responsibility of the federal government
The federal government is responsible for drawing up the Austrian proposal for the appointment of the domestic member of the European Commission. It must reach agreement with the National Council's Main Committee. The ÖVP and Greens have stipulated in a side letter to the government program that the post should go to the ÖVP, which has met with criticism from the other parties.

Balance of power could change in the fall
It is not yet clear when the new commissioners will actually be nominated. First of all, the European Parliament elections will take place in a week's time. Then the Commission President must first be nominated by the European Council and elected by the new European Parliament. Only then will it be decided who will be part of his or her team. If this decision-making process drags on into the fall, the National Council elections could change the balance of power in Austria and the black-green majority in the main committee of the National Council could be gone.

According to Meinl-Reisinger, Austria and Europe will need pro-European forces at all levers in the coming years. The goal must be a strong and defensible Europe. Also in order to clean up the Russian influence on Europe and especially on Austria.

The NEOS leader was convinced that all parties could "certainly" agree on Karas: "As First Vice-President of the European Parliament, he has demonstrated non-partisanship." His nomination would show that constructive solutions are possible between the parties and would also send a clear signal to Europe that Austria would remain "pro-European and reform-oriented" regardless of the outcome of the upcoming National Council elections.