The EU’s new Hungarian health Commissioner is in for a rocky ride

Ursula von der Leyen has named Olivér Várhelyi as her pick for health and animal welfare Commissioner, but it’s not clear he’ll make it through his hearing, potentially leaving a series of important policy initiatives in limbo.

The Commission president handed a complex portfolio to a controversial politician with no experience in health policy, suggesting he may face a rough ride from MEPs who must now grill Commissioner hopefuls based on competence.

The EU has historically had limited power in health, but for obvious reasons, the issue gained huge salience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With increased attention this time round, von der Leyen’s choice for a hugely technical topic might be found wanting — as MEPs and health stakeholders value candidates with relevant experience.

Várhelyi’s recent predecessors, such as clinical psychologist Stella Kyriakides and medical doctor Vytenis Andriukaitis, vaunted their experience to win approval from MEPs —an advantage Várhelyi lacks.

Still worse, Várhelyi, currently enlargement commissioner, has often broken ranks with the EU executive to align with Viktor Orbán, the right-wing Hungarian leader who’s had multiple feuds with Brussels.

“Pharmaceuticals is a key file and we believe [Várhelyi] will be able to deliver on this file as he was able to deliver on enlargement files before,” one senior EU official said, but doubts about the Hungarian’s background remain.

Calculated risk?

Even before portfolios were awarded, Várhelyi was seen as the candidate most likely to be rejected by the European Parliament due to a tense relationship with MEPs, which has led to multiple calls for his resignation.

In 2023, he was caught on a hot mic during an MEP debate asking, “How many idiots are still left?”—a remark that sparked outrage among MEPs, although Várhelyi later said his words had been taken out of context.

“I can hardly imagine that he will survive the hearings in the Parliament’s environment and health committee,” said Peter Liese, a German MEP who leads work on the subject for the centre-right EPP group.

Liese highlighted the liability of links to Orbán and also cited Várhelyi’s shortcomings in his current role.

For some, von der Leyen’s choice may be a strategic gamble: if Várhelyi is rejected, Hungary’s government will be compelled to propose a more suitable candidate — ideally, a medically qualified one.

But Orbán may decide not to play that game: there is speculation in Brussels that Enikő Győri, has been lined up as a replacement; she’s an MEP from his party with no health background.

A clear mission

While the appointment has shocked some health stakeholders, there are few surprises in the specific tasks he’s been awarded, most of which were previously announced by von der Leyen in a July manifesto.

Várhelyi “will be responsible for building a European Health Union, continuing efforts to combat cancer, and promoting preventive health,” von der Leyen said yesterday, quickly moving on to introduce the next member of her team.

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The mission letter she sent Várhelyi also emphasises the Critical Medicines Act and Biotech Act, two framework laws that aim to reduce dependency on key drugs and strengthen the EU’s life sciences sector.

Várhelyi will complete an overhaul of EU pharmaceutical regulations and implement the European Health Data Space – a major achievement of the five-year mandate about to end – and lead EU evidence-gathering into how social media affects well-being.

Animal welfare in, food safety out

Várhelyi will keep overseeing animal welfare and animal rights advocates have welcomed increased visibility for the topic, which is now mentioned in his job title.

Brussels-based association Eurogroup for Animals said it was a long-overdue acknowledgement of people’s demands for better welfare standards.

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The EU’s update on farm animal welfare rules, backed by 1.4 million signatures, had been delayed during the previous Commission, but activists hope there’s now a new chance for progress.

Food safety, including authorisation rules for pesticides and genetically modified food, also still lies under Várhelyi’s purview, albeit there may be some overlap with Agriculture and Food Commissioner Christophe Hansen.

Várhelyi, if approved, will also have expanded authority in areas such as food affordability and organic production compared to incumbent Commissioner Stella Kyriakides.

Shadow health Commissioners

Other members of von der Leyen’s 27-strong college will also get a look-in to this increasingly important area of EU work.

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Spain’s Teresa Ribera, overseeing the transition to a cleaner, more competitive Europe, and Romania’s Roxana Mînzatu, responsible for skills and preparedness, will both oversee Várhelyi’s duties.

Belgium’s Hadja Lahbib will have a role in health crisis management, in areas such as medical countermeasures and medicine stockpiling, topics previously dealt with by the Commission’s health response department DG HERA.

Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice-President for Industrial Strategy, will help shape the upcoming European Biotech Act and lead negotiations on new EU pharmaceutical regulations alongside Várhelyi.

One glaring omission in Várhelyi’s mission letter is any mention the looming shortage of healthcare workers—a pressing issue across Europe. Doctors’ association CPME has expressed disappointment at the omission, noting that healthcare professionals are still grappling with the aftershocks of the pandemic, exacerbated by longstanding issues around working conditions.

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Responsibility for long-term workforce challenges now falls under the remit of Mînzatu, who is supposed to improve occupational health and safety, and address mental health issues in the workplace.