Martin Selmayr, known as the “monster of the Berlaymont,” has been nominated as the EU ambassador to the Vatican, Order of Malta and U.N. organizations.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell announced on Tuesday in Brussels the nominees for the upcoming rotation of EU diplomatic delegations. POLITICO first reported the potential move in March.
Known for a harsh leadership approach that resulted in the above nickname, Selmayr caused a stir when he was promoted from then-European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’s chief of staff to secretary-general of the Commission in 2018.
The quick appointment to a top civil service post was said not to have followed EU rules, leading the European Parliament to demand his resignation.
In 2019, Selmayr managed to avoid excommunication by stepping down from his position when Commission President Ursula von der Leyen secured her nomination, a move made in response to criticism over the high number of German officials holding top positions.
As a compromise, he was appointed as the EU ambassador to Austria and sent to Vienna, where he provoked the national government by labeling Austria’s dependence on Russian gas supplies as “blood money.”
Selmayr is currently serving as a high-ranking adviser in the Commission. Since February, he has also been a visiting professor of European law at the institute for innovation and digitalization in law at the University of Vienna.