The European Union has been mocked after job applications for Ursula von der Leyen’s top team were made public, exposing some questionable claims and cringe-worthy moments from hopeful candidates.
As the European Parliament prepares to vet the 26 applicants competing for top spots in the next European Commission, their written responses have been released to MEPs, and the content has raised some eyebrows.
Many of the pitches, which include bold promises to uphold European ideals and push for gender equality, have been criticised as little more than copy-paste jobs from von der Leyen’s existing political guidelines.
Among the more embarrassing moments was Luxembourg’s Christophe Hansen boasting about his near-perfect attendance record at European Parliament plenary sessions.
While admirable, critics have claimed that MEPs receive an allowance for showing up, potentially calling into question his motives.
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One of the more awkward entries came from Stephane Sejourne, the French nominee, who despite being 39 years old, claimed to represent the “young generation” in the EU.
The remark struck many as a stretch, given that he’s hardly a youth by political standards. Some candidates also didn’t shy away from name-dropping.
Kaja Kallas, Estonia’s Prime Minister, made sure to mention that her father once served as a European Commissioner, hoping to add extra weight to her pitch for the High Representative position, effectively the EU’s top diplomat.
This left some MEPs questioning whether such connections were necessary to secure a top EU post.
Others have been caught in bureaucratic jargon, like Slovak nominee Maros Sefcovic, whose lengthy submission read like a technical manual rather than an impassioned plea for leadership.
The embarrassment of these public applications has left many questioning the selection process, with some suggesting that the repetitive, robotic responses have done little to inspire confidence in the future leadership of the Commission.
As one observer commented: “Is this really the best the EU has to offer?”
The formal confirmation hearings are set to begin in November, but if these written applications are anything to go by, the candidates might have a rough time convincing MEPs that they deserve a place at the top of the EU executive.