Oliver Varhelyi is the Hungarian candidate for Commissioner for Animal Health and Welfare in the European Parliament. On Thursday, it was announced that he had failed his hearing in the European Parliament. He must submit answers to additional written questions by Monday. The final decision will then be made.
On Wednesday, Oliver Varhelyi, candidate Hungarian as Commissioner for Animal Health and Welfare, attended the EP hearing. It was announced Thursday morning that he had not been nominated. He is the first commissioner candidate to fail the hearing. He must submit answers to additional written questions by Monday. Once received, EP committee coordinators will decide whether to support his nomination.
Hungary needs the support of two thirds of the coordinators. If he does not obtain it, his candidacy will be put to a vote by all committees conducting the hearing. At this stage, Varhelyi will need to obtain a simple majority.
During Wednesday's hearing, the Hungarian was supported only by a group of conservatives. The Liberals, Social Democrats and Greens wanted a second hearing for the candidate. However, the Center-Right European People's Party suggested sending him additional written questions.
Oliver VarhelyiPAP/EPA/OLIVIER HOSLET
“Abortion is not an EU competence”
Varhelyi came to the hearing very well prepared and answered questions without any problems. When it comes to animal rights, he assured that he supports ending cage farming and will work to improve the conditions of animals in transport. However, he did not oppose industrial animal farming because “it puts food on our tables.”
The Hungarian candidate failed on questions about women's rights and abortion. These issues are particularly raised by liberals, social democrats and the Greens. Varhelyi argued that he was an “ally of women” and knew them perfectly. The reason, as he explained, is that he lives with four of them (his wife and three daughters). He avoided specific answers on the topic of abortion. He said that “abortion is not the competence of the EU, only of the Member States.” This enraged the left wing in the EP, who accused him of not treating abortion as a right to health care.
According to unofficial reports, the liberals may want Varhelyi to take up a different portfolio. However, this would involve additional formalities, and the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, would have to consent to the change. On the other hand, in Brussels it is also said that the political groups have reached an agreement on the nomination. According to it, the EP will ultimately approve all candidates for commissioners, although some will only be approved at the next attempt.
He called MEPs “idiots”
The candidacy of Varhelyi, called the “first victim of the EP”, was controversial from the very beginning. The Hungarian has been criticized for problems with the rule of law and being pro-Russian. However, his own project turned out to be the most controversial. As the current EU commissioner, he decided, among others: block support for the Palestinians. Varhelyi did not agree on the decision with the head of the European Commission and other commissioners. Additionally, last year he also personally offended an MEP. During his speech in the European Parliament, he called them idiots, which was recorded by the microphone that was not turned off.
So far, apart from the Hungarian, the remaining 15 interrogated have been given the green light. The candidacy of the Belgian Hadji Lahbib for the position of Commissioner for Crisis Management and Equality and the candidacy of the Swedish Jessica Roswall for the position of the Commissioner for the Environment were discussed.
In the European Parliament, the hearings of the Dutchman Wopke Hoekstra for the position of commissioner for the environment and the Slovenian Marta Kos for the position of commissioner for enlargement have begun. After 2:30 p.m., the hearing of the Polish candidate Piotr Serafin, who is running for the budget portfolio, began.
Main photo source: PAP/EPA/OLIVIER HOSLET