Why EU capitals have ignored von der Leyen’s gender balance request

Good morning, and welcome again to Europe Specific. I hope you had a implausible summer season break.

It’s been an atrocious August for Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, who now is aware of what it feels prefer to be invaded. Take pleasure in this glorious visible explainer on the ten days that turned the battle in opposition to Russia. And, as we reveal at this time, his crafty scheme to swap frozen Russian belongings for western investments immobilised by the Kremlin has to date been one other main failure.

Right this moment, I clarify why the duty of selecting the following slate of European commissioners has grow to be a combat over gender stability, and my Brussels colleague experiences on a debate between member states on deploying troop trainers to Ukraine.

Too many males

We want some extra women in right here. 

Earlier than European Fee president Ursula von der Leyen set off for her summer season vacation, she requested EU capitals to submit nominations for brand new commissioners, requesting each female and male candidates. Only a few adopted that rule.

Context: The EU’s school of commissioners is made up of 27 officers representing the bloc’s member states who’re then endorsed by the European parliament. They’ve portfolios much like nationwide ministers — such because the economic system, agriculture and commerce.

Two posts have been stuffed: von der Leyen herself, from Germany, because the returning president, and Estonia’s Kaja Kallas, because the bloc’s overseas coverage chief.

However for the opposite 25 roles, solely three international locations — Croatia, Finland and Sweden — have proposed ladies (Spain has but to make Teresa Ribera, its de facto feminine nominee, official). Sixteen international locations have solely put ahead males, and 5 have but to declare their nominees.

Of the male nominees, 5 get a free move as returning commissioners: these from France, Hungary, Latvia, the Netherlands and Slovakia. That leaves not less than 11 capitals which have merely ignored von der Leyen’s request.

There’s nothing within the EU’s treaties obliging capitals to suggest multiple identify, or any rule about gender. However for the president, who made the identical request 5 years in the past, it’s an early check of her second-term mettle, and the stability of energy between Brussels and nationwide capitals forward of a time period set to be dominated by some main battles on coverage points.

Von der Leyen can in principle punish international locations that make male-only recommendations by giving their nominees extra junior roles within the fee, however on the similar time she additionally must preserve key capitals and political factions joyful.

And the parliament additionally must agree along with her commissioners in a majority vote for all the crew after particular person hearings set for later this autumn. Many within the 720-strong chamber are already licking their lips on the prospect of taking part in hardball over some nominees, and giving the incoming fee a bloody nostril earlier than it’s even formally constituted.

If the proposed slate is egregiously male-dominated, but extra parliamentarians could really feel entitled to withhold their endorsement, and ship von der Leyen — and nationwide governments — again to the drafting board.

Chart du jour: Blood cash

The world’s largest aerospace and defence corporations are set to rake in report ranges of money over the following three years as navy orders soar, with governments arming up amid geopolitical tensions. 

Pink line

The EU has explored the potential for stationing troops from its member states in Ukraine to coach Kyiv’s military however has stopped in need of recommending such a deployment, writes Paola Tamma.

Context: An EU mission to coach Ukrainian personnel primarily in Germany and Poland is coming to an finish in November. Forward of its possible extension, Ukraine had requested that some coaching occur on its soil, as a result of a scarcity in EU international locations of previous Soviet gear.

The European Exterior Motion Service, the bloc’s overseas and safety arm, stated in a report ready for capitals and first reported by German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, that whereas “possible” it was “extremely possible” that Russia would understand this transfer as a provocation.

Member state officers will talk about the EEAS’s evaluation tomorrow, and take a choice earlier than the top of the mission’s present mandate.

Whereas Baltic states have beforehand expressed themselves in favour of an thought first raised publicly by French President Emmanuel Macron, a majority of EU international locations are cautious.

Opponents concern that the dangers of escalating tensions with Russia are too excessive and that it could imply diverting Ukraine’s already scarce air defences from the entrance strains to guard the coaching centres, stated one EU diplomat.

“The overall temper is just not in favour,” the diplomat stated, including that the extra worth of coaching troops regionally nonetheless wasn’t clear.

What to observe at this time

Ursula von der Leyen meets Emmanuel Macron in Paris.

The prime ministers of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland meet in Aalborg for talks.

Now learn these

Second lives: Ikea is launching a web based market for purchasers to promote secondhand furnishings, in a problem to Ebay, Craigslist and Gumtree.

Correspondent killed: A member of a Reuters information crew was killed and two others had been injured in a Russian missile assault on their resort in japanese Ukraine.

The bomb: The worldwide rush for nuclear weapons is at report ranges, the top of the UN’s atomic watchdog, Rafael Grossi, has warned.