European Parliament:
Outgoing:
Marit PAULSEN (ALDE, SE) will resign as an MEP on 30 September 2015. Jasenko SELIMOVIC is in line to replace her.
Members of the Committees, Subcommittees and the Delegations:
Carlos ITURGAIZ (EPP, ES) left the Committee on Budgets (BUDG).
Esteban GONZÁLEZ PONS (EPP, ES) joined the Committee on Budgets (BUDG).
Auke ZIJLSTRA (ENF, NL) joined the Delegation for relations with Afghanistan (D-AF) and the Committee on Development (DEVE).
Substitutes of the Committees, Subcommittees and the Delegations:
Carlos ITURGAIZ (EPP, ES) joined the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE).
Esteban GONZÁLEZ PONS (EPP, ES) left the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE).
Joachim SCHUSTER (S&D, DE) joined the Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (D-ACP).
National parties:
Fernando MAURA BARANDIARÁN (ALDE, ES) left the Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD) and joined the European Citizens (C’S).
The President of the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament (S&D) Gianni PITTELLA proposed to suspend the Direction-Social Democracy (SMER) party of Slovak Prime Minister Robert FICO from the Party of European Socialists (PES), following his unwillingness to take responsibility over the immigration crisis.
European Commission:
Cabinets:
Jean-Claude Juncker’s team: Catherine DAY, former European Commission Secretary-General, appointed as Special Adviser for Strategic issues regarding the Multi Annual Financial Framework.
Kristalina Georgieva’s team: Elisabeth WERNER became the new Head of Cabinet, replacing Mariana HRISTCHEVA. Denis CAHIBI joined as a new Member, replacing Elisabeth WERNER.
Jyrki Katainen’s team: Marlene MADSEN joined as a new Member of the Cabinet.
Directorates General:
European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) – Directorate B: Ernesto BIANCHI appointed as Director, as a replacement of Nicholas ILETT.
Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (EMPL) – Directorate D: Stefan OLSSON appointed Director, replacing Jordi CURREL GOTOR.
Directorate F: Barbara KAUFFMANN appointed Director, replacing Wallis GOELEN.
Joint Research Centre (JRC) – Directorate A: Delilah AL-KHUDHAIRY appointed Director, replacing David MAIR.
Committee of the Regions:
Members:
Theo BOVENS (EPP, NL) and Christian ILLEDITS (PES, AT), switched from alternates to members.
Pedro Antonio SÁNCHEZ LÓPEZ (EPP, ES), José Ignacio CENICEROS GONZÁLEZ (EPP, ES), Cees LOGGEN (ALDE, NL), John JORRITSMA (ALDE, NL) and Michiel SCHEFFER (ALDE, NL) joined as members.
Alternates:
Hans NIESSL (PES, AT), switched from member to alternate.
Ard VAN DER TUUK (PES, NL), Steen BORDING ANDERSEN (PES, DK), Michiel RIJSBERMAN (ALDE, NL), Erik LIEVERS (ALDE, NL), Nienke HOMAN (Greens, NL) and Mariëtte PENNARTS-POUW (Greens, NL) joined as alternates.
Roland HEINTZE (EPP, DE) and Frederick CUTAJAR (PES, MT) left their positions.
European Central Bank:
Secretariat Directorate-General: Pedro Gustavo TEIXEIRA appointed Secretary as of 1 January 2016, replacing Pierre VAN DER HAEGEN.
Single Supervisory Mechanism: Petra SENKOVIC appointed Director to the Secretariat to the Supervisory Board as of 1 January 2016, replacing Pedro Gustavo TEIXEIRA.
European Agencies:
Energy Community: Janez KOPAČ re-appointed as Director for a 3 year term, starting on 1 December 2015.
Public Affairs:
EDSO for smart Grids: The Board of Directors re-elected João TORRES as Chairman and Livio GALLO and Christian BUCHEL as Vice-Chairmen for a two-year mandate. Vice-Chairman Javier Villalba continues until March 2016.
Institute of European Studies: Karel DE GUCHT succeeded Bart DE SCHUTTER as President on 22 September.
Federation of European Risk Management Associations (FERMA): Jo WILLAERT will take over as President from Julia GRAHAM on 7 October. Also, Cristina MARTINEZ, Isabel MARTINEZ TORRE-ENCISO and Dirk WEGENER appointed Vice-Presidents.
News in a nutshell:
Member States:
Belgium: Sophie WILMÈS, MR (ALDE) became the new Minister for Budget following the resignation of Hervé JAMAR, MR (ALDE), who is about to become governor of the Liège province.
Greece: Alexis TSIPRAS, SYRIZA (GUE/NGL) won most of the seats in the elections that took place on 20 September and once again formed a coalition government with the Independent Greeks (ANEL). Union of Centrists (Social liberalism) of Vasilis LEVENTIS entered the Parliament for first time. Newly established (after splitting from SYRIZA) Popular Unity (GUE/NGL) of EX-Minister Panagiotis LAFAZANIS did not manage to pass the 3% threshold. Euclid TSAKALOTOS, SYRIZA (GUE/NGL) re-appointed Minister for Finance and Nikos KOTZIAS from the same party as Minister for Foreign Affairs. Nikos XYDAKIS, SYRIZA (GUE/NGL) appointed Minister for European Affairs.
Denmark: Danish People’s Party (ECR) has threatened to pull its essential support to the government of Prime Minister Lars LØKKE RASMUSSEN, Venstre (ALDE) if he accepts the EU asylum and immigration policies.
France: ENF MEP and President of the National Front Marine LE PEN is to appear in court for allegedly inciting racial hatred over comments on Muslims.
Romania: The National Liberal Party (PNL) (EPP) filed a censure motion against Prime Minister Victor PONTA, PSD (S&D). The debate and the vote will take place on Tuesday 29 September.
Candidate states:
Turkey: Minister for EU Ali HAYDAR KONCA, HDP and Minister for Development Müslüm DOĞAN, HDP resigned on 22 September from their posts. Prime Minister Ahmet DAVUTOĞLU appointed Beril DEDEOĞLU and Mustafa CÜNEYD DÜZYOL to replace them respectively.
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