18. All chill, no grill – and other key takeaways from the 2024 Commission confirmation hearings

All chill, no grill – and other key takeaways from the 2024 Commission confirmation hearingsBy Sophia RussackThe European Parliament (EP) hearings for the new Commissioners are now over. After some last-minute drama and a little delay, the EP has greenlit all candidates – for the first time in 20 years.In theory, the confirmation hearings are a great instrument for scrutinising the incoming Commissioners. Such a process can be healthy, especially for a complex polity like the EU (i.e. often accused of being untransparent and unaccountable). In practice, however, it’s compromised by party-political tit-for-tat and structural issues around how it’s organised. Below are my five main takeaways from the last three weeks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.