European Parliament officials have deferred the vote on Hungary’s nominee for EU commissioner, Olivér Várhelyi, until after upcoming hearings for the European Commission’s executive vice presidents. The decision, originally scheduled for Monday, was postponed amidst ongoing scrutiny of Várhelyi’s qualifications and political affiliations, with key groups in Parliament voicing strong opposition to his candidacy.
The European Parliament’s committees on public health (ENVI) and agriculture (AGRI) convened to assess Várhelyi’s suitability for the position of EU commissioner for health and animal welfare.
Following a lacklustre oral hearing last week, during which Várhelyi was the only candidate required to submit a second round of written responses, lawmakers remain unconvinced by his candidacy. On Monday, ENVI and AGRI committee coordinators met to review his responses, ultimately opting to delay their decision.
Várhelyi’s appointment is seen by some as politically charged, due to his affiliation with Fidesz, the right-wing party led by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. MEP Pascal Canfin, representing the Renew group in the ENVI committee, confirmed the postponement to POLITICO, stating that neither his group nor the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) had yet reached a consensus on Várhelyi. “It would be impossible,” Canfin added, “to support a commissioner coming from Fidesz in charge of anything related to preparedness.” He cited the Hungarian government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic as a primary concern, as Hungary diverged from EU protocols by distributing vaccines from Russia and China before European approval.
The ongoing contention over Várhelyi’s potential role also centres on the responsibilities assigned to the health and animal welfare portfolio, particularly reproductive rights and vaccine regulation. The Green and Left groups in Parliament have thus far opposed Várhelyi’s nomination, reducing his chances of approval without broader cross-party support. Currently, his support base consists mainly of far-right factions and members of the European Conservatives and Reformists, leaving him without sufficient backing for confirmation.
To break the deadlock, some MEPs from the S&D and Renew groups have suggested approving Várhelyi’s nomination on the condition that certain aspects of his portfolio — specifically reproductive rights, vaccine oversight, and animal welfare — be reassigned to another commissioner. However, this proposal has met resistance from right-wing representatives, with Danish MEP Anders Vistisen of the Patriots party criticising it as politically motivated manoeuvring. “It is unacceptable to see the groups play their games regarding the commissioner hearings,” Vistisen remarked, accusing centrist and left-wing groups of exploiting the nomination process to exert influence over policy decisions.
This impasse over Várhelyi’s nomination mirrors recent challenges in the commissioner appointment process, which saw Belgium’s candidate, Hadja Lahbib, temporarily blocked following an underwhelming performance by another candidate, Jessika Roswall. Eventually, a compromise was reached, granting approval to both Lahbib and Roswall in a deal struck between the European People’s Party (EPP), the Renew group, and the S&D.
The postponement also allows Várhelyi’s candidacy to be used as a potential bargaining tool, with Tuesday’s hearings for the European Commission’s executive vice presidents expected to prompt further negotiations. These hearings will involve the six vice-presidential candidates put forward by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and their outcomes could influence the final decision on Várhelyi’s appointment.
