Slovenia's political impasse has caused the European Commission to delay the appointment of its new commissioners, as the Slovenian parliament struggles to finalise the nomination of Marta Kos for the role.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen postponed the presentation of her new team to the European Parliament, originally scheduled for this week, due to Slovenia’s unresolved process.

Marta Kos was selected as Slovenia’s candidate for European Commissioner on September 9, following the withdrawal of Tomaz Vesel’s candidacy. However, the nomination has sparked controversy, with opposition parties criticising von der Leyen’s push for a female candidate as "humiliating" for Slovenia’s government.

Franc Breznik, chair of the committee on EU affairs and a member of the opposition right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), announced that he would only convene a meeting to review Kos’s candidacy if the government explains Vesel’s replacement by September 12, RTV SLO reported.

Breznik alleged that Vesel did not step down voluntarily but was pressured, pointing to a letter purportedly sent by von der Leyen to Prime Minister Robert Golob. He has called for greater transparency, demanding to know the reasons behind Vesel’s withdrawal and von der Leyen’s involvement in the decision.

SDS leader and former prime minister Janez Jansa further intensified the situation on September 11, raising concerns that Vesel’s resignation was not officially signed and that the government materials lacked a letter from the European Commission justifying the rejection of Vesel’s candidacy. Jansa argued that both MPs and the public deserve access to these documents.

Meanwhile, Kos introduced herself to the opposition party New Slovenia (NSi), but was informed that she would not receive their support.

Despite this, the ruling coalition has pushed for an urgent meeting of the EU affairs committee to move forward with her nomination, stating that all necessary materials have been submitted to parliament.

The government maintains that Kos’s nomination was a direct result of Vesel’s resignation, but has not yet confirmed if it will release von der Leyen’s letter, as requested by Breznik.

The ongoing lack of clarity has raised concerns over further delays in Slovenia’s appointment process, with the EU Commission now awaiting a resolution from Ljubljana.

Under parliamentary rules, the committee meeting must be convened within 14 days of the coalition’s request. However, with unresolved questions and mounting opposition, Kos’s path to becoming Slovenia’s EU commissioner remains uncertain.