Malta’s nominee for the European Commission, Glenn Micallef, has been assigned the portfolio of Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture, and Sport by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

At 35 years old, Mr Micallef is the youngest among the proposed 27 commissioners and will be tasked with enhancing youth engagement in EU policymaking.

Prime Minister Robert Abela offered congratulations to Mr Micallef on the appointment, highlighting the significance of the portfolio. "The EU plays a critical role in influencing key sectors such as youth, culture, and sport," Dr Abela wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, describing this as “a proud moment for Malta, with our nominee stepping into an important role in shaping Europe’s future.”

His assignment, which had been largely anticipated, concludes weeks of discussions surrounding his nomination, amid wider negotiations for portfolio distribution.

The European Commission had urged various member states, including Malta, to consider nominating women to create a more gender-balanced leadership. Despite this, Malta maintained its decision to back Mr Micallef, who was put forward following former minister Chris Fearne’s withdrawal after facing criminal charges.

In response to concerns about the pressure placed on countries to revise their candidates, von der Leyen dismissed suggestions of undue interference.

The final composition of von der Leyen’s proposed Commission will consist of 40 per cent women, a notable increase from the original 22 per cent in the first list of nominees submitted by member states.

Before taking office, Mr Micallef and the other proposed commissioners will face hearings in front of Members of the European Parliament, after which the entire college will be voted upon. A positive vote will allow the new Commission to begin its work.

Four of the six executive vice-presidents will be women, and von der Leyen noted that three of the top commissioners represent nations that joined the EU after the Cold War.

Other notable appointments include France’s Stéphane Séjourné as vice-president for industry, SMEs, and the single market, and Italy’s Raffaele Fitto, who will handle cohesion and reforms.

Meanwhile, the newly created Commissioner for the Mediterranean post, which Malta was keen to secure, has been given to Croatia’s Dubravka Šuica.

Dutch nominee Wopke Hoekstra will take on the climate portfolio, and Slovakia’s Maroš Šefčovič will return for a second term, overseeing trade and economic security, pending negotiations with von der Leyen

Here is the full list of the newly appointed commissioners and their roles:

• Ursula von der Leyen (Germany): President of the European Commission

Executive Vice-Presidents:

• Teresa Ribera (Spain): Clean, Just, and Competitive Transition
• Henna Virkkunen (Finland): Tech Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy
• Stéphane Séjourné (France): Prosperity and Industrial Strategy
• Roxana Mînzatu (Romania): People, Skills, and Preparedness
• Raffaele Fitto (Italy): Cohesion and Reforms
• Kaja Kallas (Estonia): High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy

Commissioners:

• Magnus Brunner (Austria): Internal Affairs and Migration
• Hadja Lahbib (Belgium): Preparedness, Crisis Management, Equality
• Ekaterina Zaharieva (Bulgaria): Startups, Research, and Innovation
• Dubravka Šuica (Croatia): Mediterranean
• Glenn Micallef (Malta): Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture, and Sport
• Wopke Hoekstra (Netherlands): Climate, Net-Zero, and Clean Growth
• Costas Kadis (Cyprus): Fisheries and Oceans
• Jozef Síkela (Czech Republic): International Partnerships
• Dan Jørgensen (Denmark): Energy and Housing
• Apostolos Tzitzikostas (Greece): Sustainable Transport and Tourism
• Maroš Šefčovič (Slovakia): Trade, Economic Security, and Transparency
• Olivér Várhelyi (Hungary): Health and Animal Welfare
• Michael McGrath (Ireland): Democracy, Justice, and Rule of Law
• Valdis Dombrovskis (Latvia): Economy and Productivity, Implementation, and Simplification
• Andrius Kubilius (Lithuania): Defence and Space
• Christophe Hansen (Luxembourg): Agriculture and Food
• Piotr Serafin (Poland): Budget, Anti-fraud, and Public Administration
• Maria Luís Albuquerque (Portugal): Financial Services
• Jessika Roswall (Sweden): Environment, Water Resilience, and Circular Economy
• Marta Kos (Slovenia): Enlargement