Latvia replaces EU candidate

Latvia’s commissioner-designate, Ingrida Udre has been sacked from José Manuel Barroso’s European Commission line-up.

The Latvian government agreed to replace the unpopular candidate after the Brussels chief formally requested Udre’s removal.

Her replacement is former diplomat Andris Piebalgs, who recently worked as ‘chef de cabinet’ for Sandra Kalniete, the Latvian in Romano Prodi’s commission team.

It is unclear whether Piebalgs will be offered Udre’s tax portfolio post, or be offered a different position, as part of a larger reshuffle by Barroso.

Udre’s departure, along with Italian Rocco Buttiglione, who resigned at the weekend, gives the embattled commission chief more room for manoeuvre in reshuffling his team, and more ‘scalps’ could follow.

The European Parliament’s Christian Democrat EPP group are pressing Barroso to replace the Hungarian Socialist candidate, László Kovács, who performed poorly during his hearing in the European Parliament.

The 268 strong EPP group are seeking Kovács’ removal from the energy portfolio in a tit-for-tat exchange after the loss of Buttiglione, a centre right candidate.

And two more female commissioners, Dane Mariann Fischer Boel and the Dutch nominee, Neelie Kroes are also coming under fierce pressure.

Boel faces conflict of interest accusations with her agriculture portfolio, while Kroes, who has been severely criticised over her suitability as competition chief has come under fresh scrutiny for failing to declare that she once lobbied for American firm Lockheed.

But the Dutch government are still backing their controversial candidate.

“We stand clearly by our candidate,” said Dutch foreign minister, Bernard Bot.

Further female losses to the Barroso team could bring the number of women down to five, well below the Portuguese chief’s aim of having at least eight women in his line-up.

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