LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese government has been asked by the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to change its nominee for European Commissioner.
Glenn Micallef, who stepped down as the prime minister’s head of secretariat last May, was nominated for the post last month by Prime Minister Robert Abela. Micallef, a 34-year-old EU policy expert, has extensive EU experience, having led Maltese government briefs in Brussels for years, and it is understood that von der Leyen is not questioning his competence on EU affairs. But his lack of political experience, coupled with Maltàs relatively minor clout within the EU, is complicating matters for Maltàs nominee.
According to the Times of Malta, Von der Leyen is understood to be pressuring the Maltese government to nominate a woman in Micallef’s stead, as she pushes for a more gender-balanced commission. The newspaper quoted sources, saying that the EC President is also targeting Malta because Micallef is among the least experienced of the nominated commissioners.
Sources in Brussels told Times of Malta that von der Leyen has suggested keeping Maltàs existing EU Commissioner, Helena Dalli, for a second term, something the government is understood to be reluctant to do.
A spokesperson from the Office of the Prime Minister confirmed, “The engagement process is ongoing and the president is speaking to member states.”
The deadline for nominees closes on Friday, however, von der Leyen has roughly another week after that date before she formally assigns portfolios to her commission-in-waiting.
Malta had originally nominated former deputy prime minister Chris Fearne to the post, but those plans were dashed when a court last month ruled that Fearne should stand trial for fraud over the hospitals’ scandal.
Maltàs outgoing EU commissioner is Helena Dalli, who held several ministerial roles before being nominated in 2019. Von der Leyen’s reported willingness to have Dalli for a second term could be a sign that she has a bigger portfolio for her in mind.
– Foto: Agenzia Fotogramma –
(ITALPRESS).
