Spaniard takes Kinnock EC post
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• A female Spaniard has scooped the top job in European transport politics as part of a radical shakeup of the European Commission.
Loyola de Palado, who has a law degree and was previously a minister for agriculture, fisheries and food, has become joint vice-president with a number of responsibilities including transport and energy.
She takes over from Neil Kinnock, who has been EC transport chief for nearly five years. Fie has been given the other vice-presidency, with the tough task of reforming and overhauling the Commission.
This follows the collective resignation of all the Commission members in March in the wake of a damning report which looked at widespread fraud, nepotism and corruption.
There was no evidence linking the two British representatives, Sir Leon Britten and Kinnock to any wrong-doing.
Commission President Romano Prodi, who took over from Jacques Santer, has promised to introduce "sweeping reforms".
The new team is expected to be approved in the middle of September.