Outrage over ‘protecting our European way of life’ job title

Name of Margaritis Schinas’ portfolio has MEPs fuming.

The European way of life is under serious threat — at least as the new title of a portfolio for a European Commission vice president.

Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen was on Wednesday under pressure to change the title she had proposed for the new vice president overseeing migration policy after an outcry from MEPs and others who said it was deeply offensive and implied migrants and refugees pose a threat to Europe’s way of life.

Some of the harshest critics said the title of the job, to be held by the Greek Commission nominee, Margaritis Schinas, was a “dog-whistle” more suited to far-right extremists than to the Commission, which views itself as a defender of liberal values and paragon of inclusion, diversity and multilateralism.

Karima Delli, a French Green MEP and chair of the transport committee, tweeted that a majority of MEPs agreed at a meeting of senior lawmakers to send a letter to von der Leyen asking her to change the name of Schinas’ portfolio.

“The Parliament won’t let this insult to European values pass,” Delli tweeted.

Von der Leyen announced her slate of proposed commissioners on Tuesday along with some odd and verbose portfolio titles. These included not just the vice president for protecting the European way of life but also a vice president for an economy that works for people.

The migration proposal, however, was the one that proved controversial. And some leaders in Parliament warned von der Leyen on Wednesday that she should change the title or gave the prospect of the Parliament doing it for her. (All Commission nominees are subject to confirmation by Parliament).

“We think about all the arguments, but there’s for sure no quick decision,” von der Leyen’s spokesman said.

He noted that the future commissioners were gathered Wednesday evening outside of Brussels for a retreat and seminar on the future of the EU “including bold topics like climate change, digitalization, strong Europe in the world, etc.”

And presumably, though he didn’t say it, the European way of life.