‘Ribera or nothing’: Socialists threaten to block EC if MEPs refuse candidate

The European Socialists have adopted an unbending stance: If their Spanish candidate for Commission Executive Vice-President for the Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera, is not part of the new Von der Leyen’s executive, votes on all other commissioners will be halted.

This position was announced on November 13 after Spanish Vice-President Ribera underwent a demanding commissioner hearing. The Socialists published the ultimatum in response to the European People’s Party (EPP), which blocked the vote on Ribera.

The EPP, led by Manfred Weber, said the move was necessary to ensure that candidate commissioners met the standards of accountability and transparency demanded by the European Parliament.

For Weber, Ribera represented a conflict of interest in presenting her candidacy while facing criticism in Spain for her handling of the devastating floods in Valencia at the end of October. The disaster fuelled debate on the efficiency of climate policies in general.

The European People’s Party (EPP) has since said they would support Teresa Ribera’s candidacy for the European Commission if she commits to resign if she is indicted for mismanagement back in Spain.

In addition, the Social Democrats and Liberals would have to support the controversial candidates Raffaelle Fitto and Olivér Varhelyi. This would delay the assessment of Ribera and other candidates until next week.

In Spain, Partido Popular (PP) leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo has called on Pedro Sánchez to propose an alternative candidate to Ribera to avoid the Commission being affected by her political and judicial problems. Feijóo argues that the EU should not be a refuge from these difficulties.

The Socialists and Democrats (S&D) in the EP have stepped up the pressure, almost setting an ultimatum: “Ribera or nobody.” They have accused the EPP of making her a “scapegoat” and using her candidacy as a political weapon to weaken the PSOE, Ribera’s party in Spain.

In addition, they warned the blockage could affect ‘the stability of the institutions’ and jeopardise the collaboration between the three big European groups on crucial issues for the European Union. In recent legislatures, the dominant triumvirate has been the S&D, the Liberals (Renew) and the EPP.

The Spanish Government has made no secret of its indignation. According to government sources, the EPP’s manoeuvre reflected a “short-sightedness” that “puts the interests of Spain and Europe at risk”.

Spain’s ecology minister Teresa Ribera is to undergo her hearing for European Commissioner facing a wave of criticism due to her handling of the devastating October flooding that left more than 200 dead in the Valencia region. https://t.co/LXx5Lk5l3Q

— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) November 12, 2024