The European Commission president-elect was able to convince Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orban to field a new candidate after his initial pick was rejected by MEPs. In signs the strongman leader has softened, he agreed to allow Olivér Várhelyi, his country’s permanent representative to the EU, to begin the selection process to join the Commission’s top team. Mr Várhelyi will be seen as a safe pair of hands, having previously worked as an EU official at the Brussels-based executive’s single market, he is known as a technocrat.
He also speaks English, French and “basic German” – the bloc’s three working languages.
The Hungarian will likely be handed the EU’s enlargement portfolio by Ms von der Leyen to prevent any delays to her appointments.
As a senior EU diplomat, his colleagues have said he has been previously hard to socialise with.
But Mr Orban is known to have a tight grip over his Hungarian representation in Brussels because of a series of ongoing clashes with the bloc.
Hungary’s original nominee, Laszlo Trocsanyi, was thrown out by the European Parliament’s legal affairs committee, which is chaired by British Liberal Democrat MEP Lucy Nethsingha.
MEPs voiced concerns of his links to two suspected Russian arms dealers wanted in the United States.
In 2018, Mr Trocsanyi, as the Hungarian justice minister, approved the extradition of Vladimir Lyubishin Sr and Vladimir Lyubishin Jr to Russia despite a request to send them to the US.
The pair were later released.
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The committee also blocked Romania’s pick, Rovana Plumb, over concerns that she had failed to declare a €1 million loan.
The former transport minister was set for a similar role in Brussels, but said the decision to veto her appointment was “eminently political”.
The bloc’s next proposed 26 commissioners will serve five-year terms under Ms von der Leyen’s leadership.
Each of the proposed eurocrats need to be accepted by MEPs before the entire team can take office, which is expected on November 1.
Socialist and European People’s Party have suggested France’s Sylvie Goulard, who is an ally of Emmanuel Macron, could also be in danger.
She will be expected to explain her involvement in an expenses scandal, which the European Anti-Fraud Office is currently looking into.