The European commission published on Twitter the list of the candidates which the president of the Commission Jean-Claude Juncker intends to send next week to the president of the EU Council, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. None of the 28 names come as a surprise, as all have been already mentioned in our reports.

There will be nine women in the new team. Juncker had quite a lot of problems with the female quota, as the European parliament which will submit the candidates to a hearing, and which gives a final vote for approval of the commission, had informed him that it is expected that the number of female candidates will be at least equal to the number of women in the team of his predecessor, the Portuguese Jose Manuel Barroso.
Junker had also to take into consideration not only the sufficient number of women, but also adequate representation of political groups. Therefore for the new commission 16 members are proposed from European conservatives, seven from social democrats, and five liberals, one of them being also the Slovenian departing Prime Minister.
Fajon: The hearings will be very demanding, as the expectations are high
The European MP from the SD Party Tanja Fajon expressed her wish that the debates regarding the commissioner would calm down in Slovenia. She is not disappointed for not finding herself on the list, and she wishes Bratušek would gain support from home, and regain the confidence of the people. It would allow her to start well her mandate, especially after clearing all the doubts which have arisen regarding the entire procedure, and her candidacy.

"I wouldn't want for Slovenians in the European Parliament to be forced to work against the Slovenian commissioner. It would be very bad indeed. Therefore I am bothered by the EPP colleagues' campaign against Bratušek. If there is something disputable, we need to clarify it at home, as doing it outside is damaging to Slovenia," she cautioned.
She believes the hearings for the candidates for European commissioners will be very tough, and all the candidates will be subjected to a severe trial. "Europe finds itself at an important turning point, and the expectations for the next European Commission are high," she emphasized.

She would like the new European Commission to work much better than the previous one, and mentioned that the MPs would follow its work with great attention. "We have the power to reject the commission if it fails to do what we want from it," Fajon added.

The last approval comes from the European Parliament
As reported from Brussels, Juncker decided on the candidates after meetings with them. Now his proposal has to be confirmed by the EU Council, and next the names of the team members will be published in the EU Official Bulletin. Only then, presumably in the middle of the next week, Juncker will also reveal the distribution of portfolios and his intended organization of the work of the commissioners.

After the distribution of portfolios, the candidates will have to go through hearings at the relevant committees of the European Parliament. The European Parliament should decide on the entire Commission, including the president of the Commission, and EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, for which position Federica Mogherini from Italy was proposed. The decision will be made between October 20 and 23, and the Commission should start the new mandate on November 1.
Bratušek as vice-president?
Bratušek, as it appears, would get a vice-presidential post in the Commission, in charge for digital agenda, and innovations. Brussels gives no comments on guesses regarding portfolios distribution, but media is already guessing who might take the most important positions in the next Commission, and of the manner of its operation in future. British Financial Times wrote days ago that one of the most important novelties by Juncker would be increased competences of vice-presidents of the European commission, which would not have their own portfolios, but would supervise the work of groups led by other commissioners. Four to six vice-presidents are expected in the new team.

A. P. J., A. Č.
Translated by G. K.