Good morning from Brussels. The mother of all battles is expected to take place today in Brussels, as EU lawmakers will question Ursula von der Leyen’s team of vice presidents. However, the hearings of Italy’s Raffaele Fitto (hard right ECR) and Spain’s socialist Teresa Ribera have attracted the most attention due to the ongoing power game between the centre-right EPP and EU socialists (S&D). The EU socialists say von der Leyen shouldn’t have given such a big role to a politician whose party (Meloni’s Brothers of Italy-ECR) voted against her reelection at the Commission’s helm. Moreover, S&D sources told Euractiv that her decision also “alienates” the pro-EU forces that elected her in the first place, meaning the S&D, the EPP and liberal Renew (and the Greens). Nicoletta Ionta reveals EU socialists’ thoughts about Fitto, which could have, though, a backlash on their Spanish candidate as the time of hearings also has its diplomatic value: Fitto’s hearing will be first at 09:00 CET, followed by Ribera’s at 18:30 CET. The Spanish centre-right party and the EPP – who back Meloni’s candidate despite coming from another political group - hinted on Monday that they would make Ribera’s life difficult at the hearing, putting pressure on her over the recent deadly floods in Spain. | 