MEPs disqualify two candidates for new EU Commission

European lawmakers vetting candidates to form the new European Commission declared on Monday two of the 26 are unfit to take office, due to conflicts of interest.

The nominees put forward by Hungary and Romania were rejected by the European Parliament's legal affairs committee just ahead of confirmation hearings for the team picked by incoming Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

A German member of the committee, Tiemo Woelken, tweeted that members had decided that Romania's Rovana Plumb and Hungary's Laszlo Trocsanyi are "unfit to become commissioners."

French member Manon Aubry told journalists that a vote Monday confirmed the committee's finding last week that the two commissioners "cannot take office because of conflicts of interest".

The decision weakens von der Leyen's hand as the European Parliament holds confirmation hearings for the remaining commissioner candidates from Monday, running to October 8.

It also obliges Hungary and Romania to put forward new ...