For the first time in its history, we could be looking at a genuinely rightwing European Union | Alberto Alemanno

Ursula von der Leyen ’s new European Commission has not even taken office yet, but already the far right is punching well above its weight.

More than half of the members of the incoming EU commission (each proposed by one member state) and the EU council are from the right.

This rightward shift in the balance of power is unprecedented and could mean the end of the centrist majority.

All the nominated commissioners were interviewed over the past two weeks at a public hearing of the European parliament to see if they are up to the job.

The EPP refused to sign a declaration supported by the socialists , greens, liberals, and the left to keep the far right “at bay” at every level.