Orbán's extended arm becomes health commissioner in the EU

After intensive negotiations, a majority of the EU Parliament finally approved the 26 proposed EU commissioners. A hard nut to crack has been the appointment of Hungary's Olivér Várhelyi as the new health commissioner, which Life Science Sweden previously reported on.

Above all, it is the three groups in the middle of the parliament, conservative EPP, liberal Renew, and social democratic S&D, that refused to approve the appointment, leading to a power struggle between the political factions.

The problems escalated after Várhelyi, who has been commissioner since 2019, did not immediately pass his three-hour hearing and was then the only candidate required for a second round of written questions after failing the first hearings, partly due to his skepticism about the right to abortion.

In addition, the appointment of lawyer Olivér Várhelyi has been criticized due to his lack of experience in the healthcare field and since he doesn't come from a strong life science nation.

He has long been seen as a controversial figure in the EU context and has been criticized for his close ties to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, as well as for calling members of the EU Parliament ”idiots”.

After Várhelyi was stripped of responsibility for reproductive rights and the EU's new emergency response agency, HERA, which was instead moved to Hadja Lahbib, the Belgian commissioner for crisis management and gender equality, there are no longer any obstacles left.

This means that Olivér Várhelyi, once the final vote takes place shortly, will become one of the most central and influential officials in the EU's health and pharmaceutical industry over the next five years, writes Danish Medwatch.

He will lead the work on a new European biotechnology law, complete the work on introducing the criticized reform of data protection for new medicines in Europe, and "intensify" the expansion of the EU's health union. When all the hearings are finished, a final formal vote awaits in the EU Parliament, likely on November 27. 

By all accounts, Olivér Várhelyi will then assume the role of new health commissioner on December 1.