Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Teresa Ribera has received strong cross-party support in her bid to take over as head of the EU’s environmental watchdog, POLITICO reports.
Pascal Canfin, a MEP from French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Renaissance party, told POLITICO that if Ribera is put in charge of the EU’s Green Deal in the next European Commission, “I would find it very, very good.”
Canfin is a close ally of Macron and has chaired the European Parliament’s influential environment committee for the past five years. The endorsement from the French centrist is a victory for Ribera, who is leading the Spanish Socialists’ campaign in June’s EU elections.
Ribera is actively seeking the top job in the next Commission, the EU’s executive arm, heading the super-department for climate, energy and environment. Earlier, she has sharply criticised Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who she says has made concessions to the right on green policies.
Ribera is currently Spain’s minister for environmental transition and has criticised France for blocking the construction of energy lines on the Iberian Peninsula. She has also fought French efforts to promote the green status of nuclear power.
However, European “greens” have not backed Ribera yet. Green top candidate Terry Reintke said that “potential questions about commissioners … will be answered after the elections when we see how the majorities are in this house.”
