EU top jobs hearings stalled by political infighting over hard right alliances

BRUSSELS (AP) — The process of vetting candidates for some of the European Union’s most important jobs bogged down in acrimony on Wednesday as the biggest political faction in the bloc’s parliament was accused of collaborating with the hard right.

Since Nov. 4, senior lawmakers have been questioning the 26 new members of the EU’s increasingly powerful executive branch, the European Commission, to see whether they’re suitable to lead the bloc for the next five years on policies like trade, agriculture or foreign policy.

The hearings wound up on Tuesday when the six most senior members of the commission -– to be led again by President Ursula von der Leyen –- were questioned for three hours. But key votes on their performance were postponed as political tensions mounted.

The leader of the pro-environment Greens, Terry Reintke, accused the big conservative group in parliament of “cheap politics and shady maneuvers.” She said that its tactics “are creating damaging instability in the EU institutions.”

Von der Leyen is a member of that pan-European political group –- the European People’s Party. The EPP remained the biggest faction in parliament following EU-wide elections in June, but other centrist formations like the Greens lost ground as the hard right consolidated its position.

It means that the EPP can operate without its usual mainstream political allies. Fourteen of its members have been nominated to the commission.

The group has already turned to the hard right –- home to parties like Italian Premier Georgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy, which has neo-fascist roots, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s stridently nationalist Fidesz –- to force through the hearing schedule.

The second biggest bloc in the assembly, the center-left Socialists and Democrats, accused the EPP of defying an understanding that mainstream pro-European groups would leave the hard right out in the cold.

The socialists accused the EPP leadership of “irresponsible behavior” by working with the Spanish populist party Vox to accuse its nominee for the EU’s top climate and competition post, Teresa Ribera, of failing to do enough to prevent the catastrophic floods in eastern Spain.

The socialists said they voted in July to give von der Leyen a second term at the helm “on the basis of a pro-European, democratic majority.” But recently, they added, “we have seen that the EPP’s leadership is willing to risk the stability of the European Institutions.”

The Greens say they will refuse to back Meloni ally Raffaele Fitto as a new executive vice president — one of five at the commission — to oversee “cohesion policy,” which helps finance infrastructure projects with a big slice of the EU’s massive budget.

“Through their desperation to form unscrupulous alliances with the far-right, the EPP is undermining the democratic process of evaluating the skills of candidate commissioners,” Reintke said.

Von der Leyen had hoped proceedings would be wrapped up so that her new commission could start work by early December. It was not immediately clear when the endorsement votes might take place, or what allies the EPP might choose to secure them.

Netherland's Wopke Hoekstra, nominee for European Commissioner for Climate, Net-Zero and Clean Growth, gestures prior to making his opening address during a confirmation hearing at the European Parliament in Brussels on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Estonia's Kaja Kallas, nominee for European Union High Representative and Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, speaks during her hearing at the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

Member of European Parliament Marion Marechal, center, listens as France's Stephane Sejourne, nominee for European Commission Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, makes his opening address during his confirmation hearing at the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

Member of European Parliament Sarah Knafo, right, listens to the opening address of France's Stephane Sejourne, nominee for European Commission Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, during his confirmation hearing at the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

Italy's Raffaele Fitto, nominee for European Commissioner Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, speaks during his hearing at the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

Spain's Teresa Ribera Rodriguez, nominee for European Union Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, attends her confirmation hearing at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

Spain's Teresa Ribera Rodriguez, nominee for European Union Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, attends her confirmation hearing at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cody Bellinger hit a two-run single with the bases loaded in the 10th inning and the New York Yankees defeated the Cleveland Guardians 7-5 on Monday night.

Paul Goldschmidt and Ryan McMahon homered for the Yankees, who won for the first time in four extra-inning games this season.

Angel Martínez connected for a two-run homer in the fifth to give the Guardians a 5-4 lead before Goldschmidt's grounder in the eighth drove in Trent Grisham to tie it.

With Ali Sánchez as the automatic runner in the 10th, Ben Rice was intentionally walked with one out. Max Schuemann challenged a called strike three on a full count and got it overturned to ball four, loading the bases. The Guardians pulled their infield in, but Bellinger's base hit to left field off Shawn Armstrong (1-1) drove in Sánchez and Rice.

David Bednar (2-3), the seventh Yankees pitcher, struck out three in 1 2/3 hitless innings for the win. He retired five of the six batters he faced.

Martínez was mired in an 8-for-61 slump before his two-run shot to right-center off Paul Blackburn in the fifth. It was Martínez's first homer since May 17 against Cincinnati.

After Rice drew a walk in the first, Goldschmidt connected on a cutter from starter Gavin Williams and drove it into the left-field bleachers. Goldschmidt has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games, batting .314 (16 for 51) with three homers and 13 RBIs during that span

McMahon led off the fifth with a shot to left on a low curveball to put the Yankees up 4-3.

New York had runners at the corners with one out in the eighth when Cleveland shortstop Brayan Rocchio made a diving stop on Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s hard-hit grounder up the middle. Rocchio touched second base with his glove, pivoted and then threw out Chisholm at first from his right knee to complete the double play.

Yankees RHP Gerrit Cole (1-1, 2.00 ERA) will make his fourth start Tuesday since returning from Tommy John surgery. RHP Slade Cecconi (3-5, 4.92) pitches for Cleveland.

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Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Monday, June 8, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

New York Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. collides with Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio after being tagged out at second base attempting to steal during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Monday, June 8, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Cleveland Guardians' Angel Martinez runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run off New York Yankees relief pitcher Brent Headrick during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Monday, June 8, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

New York Yankees' Paul Goldschmidt, right, runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run off Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams during the inning of a baseball game, Monday, June 8, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. dives in an attempt to field a ball hit by Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez during the third inning of a baseball game Monday, June 8, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)