Six Swedes given leading roles in EU committees

Published 28 July 2024
- By Editorial Staff
Well-paid committee assignments for five years now await at least six Swedish MEPs.

Six Swedish MEPs have been elected as vice-chairmen of various EU committees. This was decided during Tuesday’s inaugural meetings in Brussels, where committee members voted for their leaders for the next five years.

The Swedish MEPs elected as vice-chairs are:

  • Karin Karlsbro (L): 3rd Vice-Chairwoman of the Committee on International Trade
  • Charlie Weimers (SD): 2nd Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Civil Liberties and Internal Affairs
  • Johan Danielsson (S): 1st Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
  • Isabella Lövin (MP): 1st Vice-Chairwoman of the Committee on Development
  • Abir Al-Sahlani (C): 3rd Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Development
  • Jessica Polfjärd (M): 4th Vice-Chairwoman of the Committee on Fisheries

Four fourth vice presidents remain to be appointed, which is expected after the summer recess.

In the past, Sweden often had at least one committee chairmanship, but not this time. Germany (5) and Spain (3) received the most committee chairmanships in Tuesday’s vote.

In terms of the number of MEPs in each member state, Sweden and Estonia were the best performers. In both countries, more than a quarter of MEPs were elected to various posts.

Liberal Karin Karlsbro becomes 3rd vice-chair of the International Trade Committee. Photo: EmoIC/CC BY-SA 4.0

The positions were decided by voting, and the cooperation between the four party groups – the conservative EPP, the socialist S&D, the liberal RE and the Greens – resulted in the two nationalist groups PfE and ESN not getting any presidency or vice-presidency at all, something which could be seen as a deliberate strategy on the part of the top echelons of the EU.

Committee chairs and vice-chairs are tasked with “leading and streamlining the work in their respective areas”.

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