Socialist Ribera becomes von der Leyen’s new right-hand woman

Teresa Ribera, Spain's climate expert, is set to become the EU's second most powerful woman in Ursula von der Leyen's new College of Commissioners.

Transcript

00:00These are the first pictures at the first meeting of the new College of Commissioners that will be ruled by Ursula von der Leyen.

00:07Right after her, with a super portfolio including competition and the transition to a cleaner industry,

00:13there will be the Spanish socialist Teresa Rivera.

00:16She is set to become the second most powerful woman in the EU.

00:21One of her main tasks will be transforming the European industry so the EU can reach its 2050 zero emissions target,

00:28taking the block from grey to green.

00:32I think that it is also important to understand that what we try to do is not to colour or switch from a colour to another colour,

00:42but to try to identify in a crystal clear manner what does not harm our ecosystems, our environment,

00:54and how we can do it in a way that from an economic and social perspective makes sense.

01:01However, her long career as a climate change expert and her anti-nuclear stance has granted her some opposition.

01:08The EPP wants her mandate to be different from the previous vice president on the green transition.

01:15We don't need a second Timmermans.

01:17He was pushing things on industry, on SMEs, on farmers, and people were overwhelmed, so we need another attitude.

01:30Since 2018, Rivera has been one of the most powerful women in Pedro Sánchez's government in Spain.

01:36During her mandate, she negotiated the Iberian exception that allowed Spain and Portugal to limit the price of energy

01:43and calendarise the closure of the nuclear plants in Spain.

01:46But first, she will have to pass the final exam from the European Parliament like all the other future commissioners.