In mid-September, EU President Ursula von der Leyen assigned roles to the new 2024-2029 EU College of Commissioners, one from each EU member state. The Commission, as the EU's executive branch, is responsible for proposing laws, overseeing their implementation, and managing the EU budget.

How did the European Parliamentary groups perform?

• The centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) secured 14 commissioners, up from 11.

• The centre-left Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) dropped from 9 to 5.

• Renew Europe (Renew), also centre-right, retained 5 commissioners.

• The right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists Party (ECR) held steady with 1.

• Patriots for Europe (PfE), a right/far-right party, gained 1 commissioner, up from 0.

• One commissioner is unaffiliated, also an increase from 0.

• The Green party lost its sole commissioner, down from 1.

Von der Leyen aimed for gender balance, though the number of women commissioners fell from 13 to 11. Among the 6 executive vice-presidents, 4 are women. These vice-presidents are equally split between representatives from older EU states (France, Italy, Spain) and newer ones (Estonia, Finland, Romania).