It hasn’t been easy crusing this summer time for Ursula von der Leyen, who was voted in as EU Fee president for a second time period in July. She had requested nationwide capitals to place ahead two candidates for her new Fee, one feminine and one male, in order that she may guarantee full gender parity in her 27-member faculty. However some governments have flat-out ignored her request, as different components are extra essential to them – renewing a trusted heavyweight who’s already in place, or respecting nationwide party-political traditions or conventions. Along with this problem to her authority, von der Leyen may have a significant political in-tray to handle as soon as her commissioners are finally confirmed this autumn. Certainly, she herself says that the choices taken on this new five-year EU mandate will decide Europe’s place on this planet for the subsequent fifty years.