EU: Vestager wants second term as competition commissioner

Margrethe Vestager wants a second mandate as European Commissioner for Competition, she told Belgian newspapers L’Echo and De Tijd in an interview published the morning of January 16.

“What I would really like is a second mandate here at the Commission,” the Danish official said. “I have seen that it takes time to learn, train, do things properly and put things in place.”

“With a second mandate, I feel like we can do some fantastic things,” she said, specifying that she would like to retain the competition portfolio.

Vestager, one of the Commission’s most high-profile officials, made news this year for slapping hefty penalties on Apple and Google, and has set her sights on Silicon Valley’s tech giants over the way companies collect and use personal data.

Politico reported in November that French President Emmanuel Macron could back Vestager as the next Commission president, although she might struggle to find broad enough support to secure the nomination.

Asked about the possibility of taking the Commission top job, Vestager told the Belgian outlets, “It’s the same thing in European and national politics, there are rumors everywhere. But I take it as a nice compliment. It is always nice to know that someone thinks you are doing a good job.”

Full Content: Politico

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