Ursula von der Leyen has delayed her announcement of commissioner roles for the upcoming EU parliamentary mandate until next week, with three commissioners currently in potential contention for the agriculture portfolio.
The role will likely be assigned to a member of Von der Leyen‘s centre right, pro-European, European People’s Party (EPP), as the party firmly affiliated itself with farming communities during the recent EU election campaign.
This is even more likely after the EPP relinquished it’s chairmanship of the European Parliament’s agriculture committee (AGRI) to the European Conservatives and Reformists Group to shore up support from the latter to secure Von der Leyen’s presidential re-election.
Potential commissioner
Luxembourg’s Christophe Hansen, the Netherland’s Wopke Hoekstra and as of recently, Cyprus’ Costas Kadis, are all speculated to be in the running for the bill.
Ireland’s MEP, former Minister for Finance Michael McGrath, is unlikely to be considered for the role given his economic credentials and lack of agricultural experience.
Historically, the role has never gone to one of the larger countries in the bloc – France, Germany, Spain and Italy, who have instead vied for more significant economic portfolios, such as competitiveness, industry or financial services.
The post is currently filled by Poland’s Janusz Wojciechowski who has occupied the office since 2019, but his outcomes are widely considered by many to be underwhelming.
He was sidelined early into his stint by Von der Leyen, who delegated her magnum opus, the Green Deal plan, which aims to generate a just transition in terms of sustainable farming and food production in the bloc, to Commission Vice President, Frans Timmermans.
Wojciechowski did, however, champion the 2021 CAP reform discussions, which included increased support for small and medium sized farms and the induction of national strategic plans, which made CAP more adaptable to individual domestic circumstances in member states.
His term in office was plagued with various challenges from the outset, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, subsequent inflation hikes and EU-wide farming protests last year.
In his interim report published in July which listed his achievements in office, Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski said: “Although my mandate was dominated by crises, I believe it was defined by responses.”
Luxembourg: Christophe Hansen
Luxembourg’s Christophe Hansen is considered a favourite for the role as agriculture commissioner, which may come as somewhat surprising, given the fact that agriculture only represents 0.2% of his country’s economy and employs 0.8% of the total population.
He is, however, the only one to publicly express explicit interest in the position.
The farmer’s son is a first cousin of Luxembourg’s current agriculture minister, Martine Hansen and has a masters degree in geosciences, environmental sciences and risk management.
In Luxembourg, he joined the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, where he established the European Affairs Office in Brussels and under the Luxembourg EU Council Presidency in 2015, he chaired the Council Working Party.
He worked as a member of the European Parliament since 2018, serving on various committees such as International Trade, Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and Employment and Social Affairs.
He also advised former MEP Astrid Lulling on issues relating to agriculture, environment and economic and monetary issues from 2007 to 2014.
In 2022, he led negotiations on the EU’s new deforestation rules, and in 2019, he acted as a rapporteur on CAP strategic plans and drinking water directives and helped steer national plans for EU farm policy.
The Netherlands: Wopke Hoekstra
Another possible contender for the position is Wopke Hoekstra, the Netherlands current commissioner responsible for Climate Action, which would prove to be a natural stepping stone into agriculture.
He assumed the role of commissioner after his predecessor, Frans Timmermans, vacated the post prematurely in order to return to domestic politics as leader of the Green Left-Labour alliance.
During his time as Climate Action commissioner, he served as the EU’s main negotiator during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai last year (2023).
However, it is largely accepted that the Netherlands is hoping for a more prominent portfolio, such as trade, given Hoekstra’s supposed cache with his superior, Von der Leyen.
This is all the more credible considering his experience as minister for finance from 2017 to 2022, minister for Foreign Affairs and deputy prime minister from 2022 to 2023 at home.
The Netherlands proved to be a hothouse for farming protests last year, which Geert Wilders far right populist party capitalised on in a stunning fashion during parliamentary elections last November, which would make this a domestically sensitive portfolio allocation.
Cyprus: Commissioner Costas Kadis
Costas Kadis has served as Cypriot minister for Agricultural, Rural Development and Environment between 2018 and 2023, and has recently been nominated for the position of European commissioner for Cyprus.
He comes from a bioscience background, having worked as a researcher, consultant and most recently, as professor of biodiversity conservation in Frederick University in Cyprus’ capital, Nicosia.
He is considered by many to be a good fit for the role, however, it is widely accepted that he also has his eyes set on the newly created Mediterranean portfolio.
100% of Cyprus’ population is considered to be rural, and the primary sector is a significant contributor to the country’s economy, with EU funding making up 65% of the agriculture sector’s income in 2022.