A chara, – Eimear Shine (Letters, August 28th) bemoans the fact that Ireland did not nominate a female for European Commissioner, as “requested” by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. In fact, Ms von der Leyen “requested” that each member state nominate two candidates, with at least one being a woman.
This was in breach of EU protocols, and represented a serious over-reach of authority whereby she herself, rather than member states, would have the final choice as to who represented them on the European Commission.
Ms von der Leyen enforced this “request”, which had no legal basis, with thinly veiled threats that those who failed to comply would be given less influential portfolios.
Leaders of member states were reluctant to state that this was entirely improper, lest this be misconstrued in some quarters as opposition to “gender equality”. – Is mise,
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DAVE SLATER,
Kilkea,
Co Kildare.