Her previous team of 27 European commissioners was made up of 12 women, including herself. [Mrs von der Leyen](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/ursula-von-der-leyen/) had promised it would be the first to have gender parity.
Member states have so far named just six women and 16 men ahead of next month’s deadline for nominations.
Mrs von der Leyen has turned to offering smaller member states bigger jobs if they are willing to swap their male candidate for a woman, the Politico news website reported. She made an approach to Malta to consider swapping its current candidate, Glenn Micallef, in exchange for a high-profile portfolio.
“Von der Leyen is probably promising us a better portfolio if we agree to renominate her,” a diplomat told the publication.
“If that’s the case, the government must decide: stand by our nominee and look strong but get a weaker portfolio. Or swap nominee, look weak but get a stronger brief.”
Ms Dalli had previously served as the EU’s equality commissioner, a low-profile position in Brussels.
“Dalli has had a borderline useless portfolio. She is easy for von der Leyen to control,” the diplomat added. “Having her for a second term would just ensure Malta is effectively irrelevant within the commission.”
Each commissioner is allocated a specific role by Mrs von der Leyen upon their appointment, with some jobs more influential than others.
Mrs von der Leyen’s offer could see smaller nations handed roles, such as the bloc’s finance or migration chief, that are traditionally given to the likes of Germany, France or Italy.
Capitals with less seniority are usually handed jobs where Brussels doesn’t have powers over its member states, such as health or social affairs.
Two other member states are reported to have been offered more senior roles in exchange for nominating female commissioners.
Simon Harris, the Irish prime minister, said it would be “unfair” on the former minister to select a second candidate, because he had already stepped down from his domestic role when Mrs Von der Leyen requested a female nomination.
Micheal Martin, Ireland’s deputy prime minister, argued that Brussels had no legal rights within the EU’s governing treaties to demand that a woman is nominated.
How about nominating the most qualified people, regardless of gender
EU slowly turning into a dystopia.
This promotes both sexism and abuse of this ‘rule’.
The EU parliament for sure has been a place where you park politicians you don’t want in your home country.
Office politics, Someone wants more power.
This sounds so absurd at first I thought it was fake news, like what is she supposed to do if Hungary for shits and giggles nominates a disabled Roma beggar woman they literally picked up from the street?
It will only get weirder. Everyone here is cheering on when these bureaucrats censor everyone and then act surprised when crazy proposals like this goes through. Good morning EU citizens. We will be even more irrelevant the next 20 years.
She justs wants to hit a target number that will look nice on her resume.
That’s not equality when it is forced. It’s actually despicable and counter productive.
It’s like saying that any woman who ever achieved anything in European politics is a DEI hire and they don’t hold their position based on merit.
I hate the EU sometimes
This is so messed up. Promoting diversity is one thing and I fully support. Bribery on the other hand is horribly wrong. WTF?
“there are no problems with feminism”
It’s all so tiresome
I bet these people scratched the word “merit” from their dictionaries.
This is just sexism
Sexism
Casual sexism
So she’s openly discriminating against men, great look. Gender is irrelevant, picking the most qualified person is paramount.
good old sexism
Bigger jobs? What does that mean? Sounds a lot like offering bribe to those who favour specific gender. How is this legal? Would it be legal if someone offers ‘ bigger jobs’ to those who nominate men? This is bullshit.
Wow, such discrimination, making it dependent on the gender! Shame
Sexism in all its glory. Now imagine if she said the same thing but about men instead.
Isn’t that sexist? I would nominate based on merit.
Discriminatios is flourishing
Without trying to sound dramatic it baffles me how it isn’t a violation of human rights
>Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language,
>Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
Saying out loud that **X** group of people deserves more than **Y** is crazy. Imagine the shit show that would ensue if EU said it would give better jobs only to tall, blonde men with blue eyes.
Isnt this sexism or something??
She continues to pretend that she is just incompetent while being obviously malicious.
I hate nobles.
Why is she still there? After all the corruption and shady stuff she’s done.
Nice gender quota for your portfolio Von der Leyen, you just missed the equality mark
Why doesn’t she ask for the best of the best is unfathomable. Why doesn’t she want the best possible team to work with?
Imagine how well run the world would be if people got jobs based on competency and not shitty inclusion bullshit for the sake of it 😳
These women will have their positions due to Ursula and not due to their own countries governments. Their loyalty will be with Ursula and not their own countries.
This is a power play under a veil of equality.
The women who would’ve got the job by merit will now have even more people assume they’re unqualified and only got picked for being women.
Positive discrimination ftw, becoming the very thing you claim to be against.
No one sees the irony or the fact that they are just as bad as the thing they claim to hate.
Meritocracy is dead. No wonder things start slowly breaking apart in europe. Abandoning the concept that made us great in the first place is something you see in movies and go “Come on, that too unbelievable, even for a work of fiction”…
38 comments
From The Telegraph’s Joe Barnes:
Ursula von der Leyen has offered perks to member states which nominate women to join her top team at the European Commission.
The Commission president has demanded European capitals help her achieve a gender-balanced team to [lead her administration until 2029](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/07/18/ursula-von-der-leyen-wins-second-term-ec-president/).
Her previous team of 27 European commissioners was made up of 12 women, including herself. [Mrs von der Leyen](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/ursula-von-der-leyen/) had promised it would be the first to have gender parity.
Member states have so far named just six women and 16 men ahead of next month’s deadline for nominations.
Mrs von der Leyen has turned to offering smaller member states bigger jobs if they are willing to swap their male candidate for a woman, the Politico news website reported.
She made an approach to Malta to consider swapping its current candidate, Glenn Micallef, in exchange for a high-profile portfolio.
The Commission chief – [the first woman to lead the institution](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/06/27/this-is-the-eu-ancien-regimes-last-contemptible-hurrah/) – suggested keeping [Malta](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/tax/income/malta-eu-passport-low-tax-rates-citizenship-cost/)’s existing commissioner, Helena Dalli, for a second term, the Times of Malta reported.
“Von der Leyen is probably promising us a better portfolio if we agree to renominate her,” a diplomat told the publication.
“If that’s the case, the government must decide: stand by our nominee and look strong but get a weaker portfolio. Or swap nominee, look weak but get a stronger brief.”
Ms Dalli had previously served as the EU’s equality commissioner, a low-profile position in Brussels.
“Dalli has had a borderline useless portfolio. She is easy for von der Leyen to control,” the diplomat added. “Having her for a second term would just ensure Malta is effectively irrelevant within the commission.”
Each commissioner is allocated a specific role by Mrs von der Leyen upon their appointment, with some jobs more influential than others.
Mrs von der Leyen’s offer could see smaller nations handed roles, such as the bloc’s finance or migration chief, that are traditionally given to the likes of Germany, France or Italy.
Capitals with less seniority are usually handed jobs where Brussels doesn’t have powers over its member states, such as health or social affairs.
Two other member states are reported to have been offered more senior roles in exchange for nominating female commissioners.
Ireland refused to nominate both a man and a woman when it selected [Michael McGrath](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2023/08/12/irelands-resurgence-setting-example-broke-britain/), Dublin’s former finance minister to be sent to Brussels.
Simon Harris, the Irish prime minister, said it would be “unfair” on the former minister to select a second candidate, because he had already stepped down from his domestic role when Mrs Von der Leyen requested a female nomination.
Micheal Martin, Ireland’s deputy prime minister, argued that Brussels had no legal rights within the EU’s governing treaties to demand that a woman is nominated.
Read the full story here: [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/08/28/ursula-von-der-leyen-commissioners-gender-balance-women/](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/08/28/ursula-von-der-leyen-commissioners-gender-balance-women/)
Wow …
Equality. /s
This is such bullshit
How about nominating the most qualified people, regardless of gender
EU slowly turning into a dystopia.
This promotes both sexism and abuse of this ‘rule’.
The EU parliament for sure has been a place where you park politicians you don’t want in your home country.
Office politics, Someone wants more power.
This sounds so absurd at first I thought it was fake news, like what is she supposed to do if Hungary for shits and giggles nominates a disabled Roma beggar woman they literally picked up from the street?
It will only get weirder. Everyone here is cheering on when these bureaucrats censor everyone and then act surprised when crazy proposals like this goes through. Good morning EU citizens. We will be even more irrelevant the next 20 years.
She justs wants to hit a target number that will look nice on her resume.
That’s not equality when it is forced. It’s actually despicable and counter productive.
It’s like saying that any woman who ever achieved anything in European politics is a DEI hire and they don’t hold their position based on merit.
I hate the EU sometimes
This is so messed up. Promoting diversity is one thing and I fully support. Bribery on the other hand is horribly wrong. WTF?
“there are no problems with feminism”
It’s all so tiresome
I bet these people scratched the word “merit” from their dictionaries.
This is just sexism
Sexism
Casual sexism
So she’s openly discriminating against men, great look. Gender is irrelevant, picking the most qualified person is paramount.
good old sexism
Bigger jobs? What does that mean? Sounds a lot like offering bribe to those who favour specific gender. How is this legal? Would it be legal if someone offers ‘ bigger jobs’ to those who nominate men? This is bullshit.
Wow, such discrimination, making it dependent on the gender! Shame
Sexism in all its glory. Now imagine if she said the same thing but about men instead.
Isn’t that sexist? I would nominate based on merit.
Discriminatios is flourishing
Without trying to sound dramatic it baffles me how it isn’t a violation of human rights
>Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language,
>Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
Saying out loud that **X** group of people deserves more than **Y** is crazy. Imagine the shit show that would ensue if EU said it would give better jobs only to tall, blonde men with blue eyes.
Isnt this sexism or something??
She continues to pretend that she is just incompetent while being obviously malicious.
I hate nobles.
Why is she still there? After all the corruption and shady stuff she’s done.
Nice gender quota for your portfolio Von der Leyen, you just missed the equality mark
Why doesn’t she ask for the best of the best is unfathomable. Why doesn’t she want the best possible team to work with?
Imagine how well run the world would be if people got jobs based on competency and not shitty inclusion bullshit for the sake of it 😳
These women will have their positions due to Ursula and not due to their own countries governments. Their loyalty will be with Ursula and not their own countries.
This is a power play under a veil of equality.
The women who would’ve got the job by merit will now have even more people assume they’re unqualified and only got picked for being women.
Positive discrimination ftw, becoming the very thing you claim to be against.
No one sees the irony or the fact that they are just as bad as the thing they claim to hate.
Meritocracy is dead. No wonder things start slowly breaking apart in europe. Abandoning the concept that made us great in the first place is something you see in movies and go “Come on, that too unbelievable, even for a work of fiction”…