The new EU Parliament is already looking very different from the last despite superficially many top names remaining in their roles.
Although speculation suggested that she would struggle to hold on to the commission presidency, Ursula Von der Leydon comfortably secured 401 EU parliamentary votes – 41 more than she needed.
Many have pointed out that despite a significant loss of seats at the EU election, the largest green grouping – the Greens/EFA were key to securing this victory for her.
Behind closed doors Von der Leydon managed to win over some of the holdouts in her own grouping, the European People’s Party, (EPP) along with the centrist Renew and center left Socialist and Democrats (S&D) ultimately supporting her.
While her commitment to the Green Deal and to climate action in her address to the parliament was satisfactory for the larger group of Greens, the more left grouping of European United Left/Nordic Green Left failed to be won over.
European commissioners
Although many of us living in rural Ireland may not see the relevance of a vote held 776km away the ramifications of these political promises affect every farm.
The commission president personally scrapped the Sustainable Use Directive set to cut pesticide and herbicide use by 50% following farmers protests in early 2024. While she has reiterated commitment to climate action the details may be very different.
Her party colleagues, especially those in her home of Germany, have their sights set on two particular targets, getting the Mercosur deal done and carbon farming proposals.
Meanwhile not every commissioner has stayed in their job including former Environmental Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius, best known to Irish farmers for visiting Ireland over the nitrates derogation then never leaving the M50.
The Green politician stepped down from his commissioner role to take up the seat that he won in the EU elections.
For now we do not know who will be in charge of any commission but clearly Irish farmers will be watching the candidates for two commissioner jobs in particular – chiefly the Commissioner for Agriculture and the Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries.
Commissioner for Agriculture
The Commissioner for Agriculture this time around will be given the job of turning the Strategic Dialogue on Agriculture and Food from a disparate chorus of voices of farmers and environmental non-government organisations (NGOs) into a new set of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms for 2027 – along with what remains of the EU Farm2Fork.
In any case the Commissioner for Agriculture is unlikely to return to Ireland so soon after previously having an Irishman in charge in 2014 – Phil Hogan – so I personally would not bet on a set of ‘McGrath Reforms’ to go with ‘McSherry Reforms’.
The other role that farmers might like to see Ireland land would be that of the Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries – which of course is responsible for overseeing the nitrates derogation.
However this too seems unlikely, as it will be intensely fought over in particular between EPP and second largest group S&D.
This is an issue as Ireland has made the choice to nominate Fianna Fail former Minister for Finance, Michael McGrath, who in European terms are part of Renew Europe – who have fallen to fifth in size terms.
Combined with the weakened position of Renew’s heaviest hitter, Emmanuel Macron domestically this may not bode well for securing a significant commission position.
The principled stance of Fianna Fail MEPs in choosing to not support Von der Leydon’s bid over her position on Gaza has likely not won anyone any favours from the President of the European Commission – especially as only the 4 EPP MEPs, as obliged by their membership of the EPP, out of Ireland’s 14 MEPs publicly said they would support her.
Perhaps this is why following her election President Von der Leydon informed Ireland she expected them to hold to her rule from 2019 of sending one female and one male candidate. Perhaps she thought Ireland might re-nominate the far more experience and well respected in Brussels circles, Mairead McGuinness, for another term.
EU Parliament
However the EU Parliament is not solely about the commission, power also rests in the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) and Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) shadowing their respective commission.
There we see some changes and some returns. Maria Walsh succeeded in her aim to take the seat previously held by Mairead McGuinness and then Colm Markey on her ascension to the commission.
Meanwhile Barry Cowen joins AGRI as one of Renew’s nominees. They join AGRI veteran Luke Ming Flanagan who kept his Left/NGL seat. First time MEP Ciaran Mullooly also secured a substitute position after joining Renew earlier in the month.
While the focus may have moved somewhat from environmental and climate concerns there is still certainly many open files, along with an upcoming fight on nitrates, EU expansion and CAP reforms to concern Ireland’s farmers and their representatives.