Following the conclusion of the hearings process, the European Parliament has approved the new College of Commissioners, who will lead the European Commission for the next five years. During the plenary session of the Parliament, 461 voted in favour, 157 against and 89 abstained. The College of Commissioners will be led by President Ursula von der Leyen. There are 27 portfolios, with portfolios with the greatest relevance to dementia policy being as follows:
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Margrethe Vestager – Executive Vice President – Europe Fit for Digital Age
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Valdis Dombrovskis – Executive Vice President – An Economy that Works for People
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Vĕra Jourová – Vice President for Values and Transparency
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Dubravka Šuica – Vice President for Democracy and Demography
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Thierry Breton – Commissioner for the Internal Market
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Helena Dalli – Commissioner for Equality
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Mariya Gabriel – Commissioner for Research, Innovation, Education, Culture & Youth
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Johannes Hahn – Commissioner for Budget and Administration
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Stella Kyriakides – Commissioner for Health
One significant change which was announced prior to the vote, was the renaming of the portfolio of Mariya Gabriel, from “Innovation and Youth” to “Research, Innovation, Education, Culture & Youth”. The new Commission will officially take office on 1 December 2019. The full list of Commissioners can be found: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/interim/commissioners-designate
