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BRUSSELS ― Austria nominated Finance Minister Magnus Brunner as its candidate to serve as European commissioner in the next term.
Brunner “is an experienced government politician with a high level of expertise in financial, economic and competition policy at national and European level,” Austrian Prime Minister Karl Nehammer wrote in a post on X on Wednesday.
With his vast experience in economic policy-making, Brunner is seen as a good candidate to secure a financial portfolio in the new Commission, which is due to take office toward the end of the year.
He was picked instead of Austria’s Europe minister, Karoline Edtstadler, who was said to have had a good chance for a judicial portfolio, according to officials with knowledge of proceedings.
While every country in the EU gets one commissioner, governments don’t get to decide what their beats will be. Though nominating a finance minister is a strong signal Austria wants responsibility for EU economic or finance policy, it will have to jostle with Ireland and the Netherlands ― other medium-sized countries with an economically liberal agenda ― to get one.
Dublin’s candidate Michael McGrath and The Hague’s Wopke Hoekstra are also both former finance ministers who are setting their eyes on the EU’s public purse.
The Commission’s three most powerful economic jobs on offer are the economy commissioner ― in charge of applying economic rules; the financial regulation chief; and the EU budget position, playing a role in drafting the bloc’s seven-year cashpot.
Fiscally disciplined countries are keen to balance the influence of highly indebted France and Italy ― who are also gunning for a top economics position ― on the Commission’s agenda.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen requested national governments across the bloc present two candidates for the Commission, a man and a woman, unless they are renominating an existing commissioner. Like several other countries, Austria has not done this.
Leaders have until the end of August to announce their picks. Von der Leyen will start interviewing the candidates in mid-August.
