Big shoy of the week
MARGRETHE VESTAGER, 49 EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER FOR COMPETITION
Mention european Union Commissioners and we think of minor league provincial politicians settling down to another all- expenses paid lunch, putting in an early order for the chateaubriand as they eye up the uncorked claret like a long-limbed Victoria’s Secret model.
Denmark’s former deputy prime minister Margrethe Vestager is cut from a markedly different cloth. As european Commissioner for Competition, she probably possesses more clout than any watchdog in the world and my goodness, has she been happy to use it.
While most come to Brussels to schmooze and ride the eU gravy train steadily toward retirement, Vestager, 49 (pronounced Vest-ayer) has set about wielding her battle axe like a bloodthirsty Viking.
Since taking up her post in 2014, Apple, Google, McDonald’s, Facebook and Amazon have all been clobbered over their cosy tax arrangements and underhand business tactics. in January, she ordered Apple to pay £11bn in back taxes to the irish government.
TAKING on corporate giants such as these takes guts, and graphitehaired Margrethe has plenty of those. Just ask Apple’s all-powerful boss tim Cook. When he jetted over to argue his case with Vestager, the poor man hobbled out of their meeting like he’d just received a fly-kick to the goolies.
Dubbed ‘ the ice queen’ by the Danish press, Vestager’s frosty reputation is not entirely deserved. in person she is polite and welcoming with a slight mumsyish side, revealed by a fondness for baking cakes for her staff. She’s witty too. When her spending plans were once criticised in Denmark’s parliament for being too small by the leader of the opposition, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Vestager deadpanned: ‘i am a bit cautious about trusting any judgement on size from men.’ kerpow!
Her willingness to challenge multinationals is guided by a moral sense of fairness, shaped during her staunch upbringing in West Jutland where her parents were Lutheran pastors.
After graduating Vestager worked for the centre-Left Radikale Venstre, known as the ‘Café latte party’ for its appeal to wishy-washy metropolitans. After holding various civil service positions, she was made the country’s youngest-ever minister aged just 29, when she was put in charge of education. She rose to party leader in 2007, and, thanks to Denmark’s habit for coalition governments, four years later found herself deputy prime minister after propping up the ruling social democrats. Prime Minister Helle thorning-Schmidt later returned the favour by nominating her for the eU job.
Vestager’s mastery of negotiation and ability to navigate Denmark’s fiendishly complicated political system made her the inspiration for the gritty Danish drama Borgen. Like the show’s protagonist, Margrethe juggles a successful political career with a busy family life. She has three children, one studying medicine, while the two youngest live with her and her maths teacher husband in Brussels.
SHE refuses to play the ‘i don’t know how she does it’ game but, suffice to say, her day-today life requires no small amount of scheduling acrobatics.
Washington views her suspiciously. those big American multi-nationals aren’t used to being bossed around overseas. But Vestager views any attempts to bully her as a badge of honour. When she restricted benefits payments during her time in government, a trade union sent her a model hand with an upturned middle digit. the plaster cast – which she calls the f*** finger – has pride of place on her Brussels desk. With two years left of her five-year term, we can expect further fireworks. After that, who knows? Friends say she eyes the international Monetary Fund position, up for grabs when Christine Lagarde’s second term finishes in 2021. it would be nice to think she also has a shot at succeeding the dreadful Jean-Claude Juncker as President of the eU Commission when he departs in 2019.
the role traditionally goes to servile, acquiescent sorts. Hmm. on second thoughts, i think we can safely rule splendid Margrethe out of the running.