During his hearing Wednesday, Várhelyi faced multiple critical questions about his stance on women’s rights and abortion. He repeatedly said he is an “ally” of women, but that abortion lays outside of EU competencies.
“I am deeply worried to hear a potential health commissioner say that abortion is not a medical question,” Greens MEP Matthieu said. “He appears unaware or unbothered that countless women are dying for being denied access to reproductive and sexual health services.”
Just before the hearing, Commission President von der Leyen met with the chair of the Socialists and Democrats, Iratxe García, the chief of center-right European People’s Party (EPP) Manfred Weber, and Renew Europe’s boss Valérie Hayer, an EU official confirmed.
The official said it was to take stock “of the hearings in progress.”
Also prior to the hearing, Renew floated the idea of stripping back Várhelyi’s powers as health commissioner. “Várhelyi going just through with competences over vaccines or reproductive rights won’t be supported by Renew,” a senior Renew official said.
This idea was not discussed during the meeting, according to an MEP and a parliamentary assistant present in the room.
MEPs would need to demand a change of powers in the evaluation letter they send to von der Leyen after assessing Várhelyi’s answers to the additional questions and making a final decision on his candidacy.
Additional reporting by Barbara Moens.
