Von der Leyen is in! Let the fighting over the next European Commission begin. 

Each country gets a commissioner job, but it’s up to von der Leyen to determine who gets the prized portfolios, such as competition, industrial policy, trade, and enlargement. Portfolios involving multilingualism, demography, or foresight are less sought after. Von der Leyen also gets to choose what those portfolios are. She wants to have a defense commissioner this time, which would be a new role, as well as portfolios that would cover housing, fisheries, and “ensuring intergenerational fairness.”

By promising important portfolios, von der Leyen can push EU leaders to provide two names or at least come up with an alternative if she doesn’t like the first pick. 

After running the Commission for five years, von der Leyen and her team are keen to get experienced and motivated politicians. End-of-career leftovers or problematic politicians who can be punted to Brussels by national governments are not what she wants. She also wants the structure of the next Commission to be simpler by moving from three layers (executive vice-presidents, vice-presidents and commissioners) to two.

But there’s no telling what will happen in the next five years. Few expected Cypriot health commissioner Stella Kyriakides or Estonian energy commissioner Kadri Simson to play a role of importance until the pandemic struck and then Russia’s invasion of Ukraine led to an energy crisis. So von der Leyen wants an all-star team from the get-go.

The downside? Heavy hitters want major portfolios, and not everyone can get one.

“Everyone wants an executive vice president or a vice president and everyone wants an economic portfolio,” said one senior EU diplomat. “Good luck to the 13th floor to square that circle,” the diplomat added, referring to the top floor of the Berlaymont, the Commission HQ and where von der Leyen lives as well as works while in Brussels.