Could do better: two commission candidates failed to impress MEPs - the Home Affairs nominee and the Pole tipped to lead Agriculture policy, They will face further questions. And we profile the Belgian candidate for the justice portfolio - whose political pedigree puts him in good stead.
Poland's Janusz Wojciechowski needs to go into overtime after his hearing. MEPs have accused him of delivering a lackluster performance.
The agriculture portfolio candidate is now asked to answer a round of written questions.
Wojciechowski at times strained to find the right words in English and remained vague on a number of issues. If his written answers are still considered inadequate, he could face abother 90 minute grilling.
A rough ride also for Sweden's nominee Ylva Johansson, slated to become the Home Affairs Commissioner.
One centre right MEP calling her the ‘come-back commissioner,’ she said she needed to come back to them on a number of answers.
The veteran Swedish minister stumbled on migration and MEPs thought policy plans were without detail. She'll submit written questions as well.
Dider Reynders - Belgium - Justice
A veteran Belgian politician, Didier Reynders - en route to being appointed to occupy the Justice Portfolio in the Ursula Von Der Leyen Commission. He'll take over from the Dutchman Frans Timmermans to deal with European justice issues, including work on the rule of law- a cause of major conflict with populist governments in eastern EU countries. He was Finance Minister at the time the euro was launched in Belgium and until 2019 he served as a member of the Belgian Prime Minister's government, the liberal Charles Michel. In June, he lost his candidacy to become secretary-general of the Council of Europe the Continent's leading human rights body. He was, until few day ago, one of the controversial nominees. The former Belgian Foreign Affairs minister was investigated for corruption and money laundering by a Belgian prosecutor, which was dropped just in time for his hearing.