Several members of the European Commission will be contesting for a seat in the European Parliament next month.
Although it is not uncommon for European commissioners to participate in elections, the number is significantly high this time: seven of the 28 members will be running.
Tonio Borg is not among them as he prefers to continue to focus on his job in Brussels until the end of his mandate in November.
Among those interested in seeking an MEP seat if they are not re-nominated by their governments to the EU executive are four vice presidents: Viviane Reding, Antonio Tajani, Maros Šefčovič and Olli Rehn will be topping their party’s lists in Luxembourg, Italy, Slovakia and Finland respectively, making their election almost a certainty.
Mr Tajani had served as an MEP for a long time before he was nominated to sit on the commission.
Polish commissioner Janusz Lewandowski, his Croatian colleague Neven Mimica and Belgium’s Karel De Gucht will also be running in next month’s elections.
While confirming their intentions, a spokesman for the Commission said that six commissioners have asked for, and were granted, unpaid leave from their job in order to be able to take an active part in their respective political campaigns back home.
Tonio Borg prefers to continue to focus on his job in Brussels until the end of his mandate in November
They will have their portfolios covered by other commissioners for about a month while they are away from in Brussels.
All commissioners on electoral leave will return to active duty the day after the elections.
If elected, those who decide to take up their seat in the EP will need to resign from the Commission by the end of June.
In the case of Mr De Gucht, electoral leave was not felt necessary as he will not participate actively in the campaign and has already publicly declared that he will not take up his seat if elected to the EP.
His contribution in these elections will be only nominal, aimed at having his party use his name on the ballot sheet in order to attract voters.
According to the Commission’s code of conduct, members may be politically active.
However, they are obliged to inform the President of the Commission of their intention to participate in an electoral campaign.
In case they intend to play an active role, commissioners have to withdraw from the work of the Commission for the duration of the campaign.