It’s not over yet for Orbán’s pick as EU Commissioner: His confirmation has been postponed as he failed to impress MEPs, slipping on reproductive and sexual rights. Following a three-hour hearing, European lawmakers opted on Wednesday night to defer their decision on Olivér Várhelyi's nomination as EU Commissioner for health and animal Welfare, questioning his refusal to acknowledge women's health as an EU competence. Under the Parliament’s rules, committee chairs and coordinators meet behind closed doors after a hearing to vote on whether they think commissioner candidates are up to the job.
Once MEPs finalise the additional questions in a meeting today, Várhelyi will have 48 hours to respond. Group leaders are expected to evaluate his replies next Monday (11 November) to decide if they are satisfied or if a further hearing is needed. Várhelyi, a member of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party, was already a controversial nominee for the health role due to his lack of experience in the field.
Some responsibilities in his portfolio might now be reallocated to other commissioners to clear the path to his confirmation. Four MEPs from various political groups told Euronews that Várhelyi risks losingoversight of reproductive health and animal welfare in particular. A Christian Democrat and a Liberal lawmaker, speaking anonymously, said that the Hungarian demonstrated technical preparation, showing he prepared well for the hearing especially on.