Günther Oettinger hearing set for January

MEPs will grill Günther Oettinger on his proposed European Commission promotion to vice president in charge of budget and human resources on January 9, according to Parliament sources.

The decision was taken on Thursday at a meeting of leaders of the political groups. He will be questioned by members of the budgets, budgetary control and legal affairs committees. 

In October, Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, announced he had chosen Oettinger, who currently holds the digital portfolio, to replace Kristalina Georgieva, who is leaving the Commission for the World Bank.

But the German has been mired in controversy after being caught making disparaging remarks about Chinese people, women and gay marriage. It was also revealed that he traveled to Budapest on the private plane of a pro-Russia German businessman, potentially breaking ethics rules. 

When Valdis Dombrovksis, the Commission vice-president for the euro and social dialogue, took over the financial affairs portfolio from Jonathan Hill when the Brit quit following the Brexit vote, MEPs had an “exchange of views” with him, but no vote.

Many center-left MEPs think Oettinger’s case is different. Some leading Socialists and Democrat MEPs wrote to Parliament President Martin Schulz and S&D leader Gianni Pittella saying they wanted to hold a vote on Oettinger’s promotion. 

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