Romania changed its choice for Commissioner in response to calls by von der Leyen for gender parity in the next cabinet. Bucharest is vying for an economic portfolio and has nominated a former minister for EU funds and Secretary of State for public procurement, newly elected Mep Roxana Mînzatu.
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00:00The Romanian MEP Roxana Minzatu is her country's designated commissioner after her government changed candidate and put forward a woman.
00:10The move is in support of Commissioner President Ursula von der Leyen's right for gender equality.
00:16She asked each country to send a man and a woman for her to choose from.
00:22Romania is seeking an economic portfolio and Bucharest believes the former minister for EU funds and secretary of state for procurement is the right fit in terms of competence.
00:52Only around a third of EU countries have sent women, including Spain, Belgium and Bulgaria.
01:07The majority of others have for their own domestic reasons defied the request by Ursula von der Leyen to promote gender balance.
01:14Von der Leyen's last cabinet was nearly 50-50 man to woman.
01:18Minzatu believes the imbalance is in line with the rise of far-right nationalism across Europe.
01:48Ursula von der Leyen is due to announce her nominations for commissioners on September the 11th.
02:16After that, each designated commissioner will be scrutinized for their suitability by MEPs at the European Parliament later in the month.