Former EU Commissioner Günther Oettinger is not normally one of those with a short fuse. But in exceptional cases, even he gets irritated. When someone states that EU Commissioners are not democratically legitimised and monitored, Oettinger quickly becomes animated – and recalls that as a prospective EU Commissioner he once had to endure several hours of tough cross-examination in the EU Parliament.

It is precisely these hearings that Oettinger's successors will be facing between now and 12 November. The barbecue season (Commissioners being grilled by lawmakers) is up and running again in Brussels. All designated EU Commissioners and proposed EU Vice-Presidents will have to answer questions from MEPs for three hours.

Anyone who believes that the hearings are a mere formality is mistaken. Experience shows that the EU Parliament knocks one or two candidates out of the running in the course of the hearings, thereby upsetting the carefully calculated balance – between men and women, north and south, west and east, large EU members and small ones, as well as between social democrats, liberals and christian democrats.

The Latvian Ingrida Urde once failed the MEPs test because she was unable to convincingly clear up inconsistencies in the financing of previous election campaigns. Rumjana Schelewa from Bulgaria met with reservations in the EU Parliament because of her husband's dubious business dealings and business associates. The Italian Rocco Buttiglioni provoked opposition to his appointment as EU Commissioner with statements about the role of women and homosexuals. The Slovenian Alenka Bratusek fell out of favour with MEPs because she was not sufficiently able to speak on topics relating to energy and climate protection, although she was supposed to take on these responsibilities. The Frenchwoman Sylvie Goulard made the mistake of trying to explain why she had given up her ministerial post in France due to investigations against her, while not recognising a problem for her candidacy as EU Commissioner.

The Hungarian Oliver Varhely and the Italian Raffaele Fitto, in particular, are likely to fear not getting the blessing of the EU Parliament. Fitto is considered a confidant of Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and for this reason alone is „persona non grata“ for some. However, the fact that potential alternatives are likely to be even more critical of the EU could speak in his favour. The Hungarian Varhely, on the other hand, who is already an EU Commissioner, incurred the displeasure of many MEPs when, believing his microphone was switched off, he once mocked the MEPs who had just spoken at a plenary session on the Western Balkans: „How many idiots are left?“ he asked