Von der Leyen is enthusiastic
Hoekstra is supposed to organize Europe’s climate policy
08/29/2023, 6:50 p.m
Since Frans Timmermans wants to become prime minister in the Netherlands, he vacates his post as the EU’s climate protection commissioner. President von der Leyen already has a successor in mind: Wopke Hoekstra. He is motivated and has a lot of experience. They will also soon be needed in Dubai.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra to become Commissioner for Climate Protection. In an interview, von der Leyen said that Hoekstra was very motivated for the office and very committed to the EU. He also has relevant professional experience.
“After this conversation I decided to propose to the Council and the European Parliament the appointment of Mr Hoekstra as Commissioner“, said the Commission President. He should be responsible for climate protection. The EU Parliament and the countries still have to agree to the personnel.
The Dutch government officially nominated the Christian Democrats on Friday. The Dutch post in the EU Commission had become vacant after the resignation of Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans. He is the red-green coalition’s top candidate in the early parliamentary elections in the Netherlands in November. The social democrat was also the climate chief of the commission. It had already been decided that Slovak Maros Sefcovic would become climate chief and EU vice. Hoekstra will be under the direction of Sefcovic, said von der Leyen.
Hoekstra is set to find success in Dubai
Hoekstra, 47, has been foreign minister and deputy prime minister since 2022 and previously finance minister. Von der Leyen said: “His government experience will be particularly useful for European climate diplomacy in the run-up to COP28 and for climate finance and the implementation of climate-related legal instruments.”
In the conversation, Hoekstra emphasized his commitment to continuing an ambitious climate policy and to maintaining a social balance in all necessary joint efforts on the way to climate neutrality, it said.