The Commissioner

Brunner has good chances for important portfolio

Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer has probably been lobbying Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for some time to appoint Finance Minister Magnus Brunner as Commissioner.

(Bild: Andreas Tröster)

The ÖVP Finance Minister will become an EU Commissioner. The question is in which portfolio. He has good prospects for an important portfolio in the area of economy/finance.

So Magnus Brunner, the Vorarlberg math whiz, will become EU Commissioner for Austria. The nomination took a long time before Chancellor Karl Nehammer's preferred candidate and ÖVP Finance Minister was given the green light. But what will happen next? Which area will Brunner take over?

The wish is - understandably - for an economic portfolio. There are several possibilities. However, Austria has not put itself in the most favorable position with its long back and forth.

"Because pretty much all countries want to have a say and shape these areas. And many of them have said so in the past," says Paul Schmidt, Secretary General of the Austrian Society for European Policy. The final decision will be made by President Ursula von der Leyen. The German had instructed the member states to nominate one male and one female candidate. Nehammer, however, absolutely wanted Brunner. Another disadvantage besides the late nomination?

Could von der Leyen have been annoyed? "I don't think so," says Europe expert Schmidt. Although a woman with good qualifications would have had the best chances, she would have had to go through the hearing. "And Nehammer has decided to send a proven expert." Other countries have acted similarly, including the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Ireland. Here, the finance minister resigned specifically to become a commissioner. One thing is certain: there is heavy lobbying. "The big countries like France, Italy and Spain always get off easy."

"Chancellor has already initiated something"
 But smaller countries are also getting in on the act. Austria, for example, has always had important portfolios, from foreign affairs (Ferrero-Waldner) to budget and administration (Hahn, both ÖVP), and also has the advantage that it stands for sound financial policy. Schmidt: "That could be an advantage, especially as von der Leyen was also a guest of Nehammer shortly before the EU elections. She also met Brunner during the trip. I assume that the Chancellor has already initiated something here."

Brunner also speaks excellent English - and, no mistake, the same language as the Commission President. The decision will be made in the coming weeks. In the end, the plenary will vote. It will be months before the new Commission takes up its work.