Dutch pick for EU climate job to face tough hearing

FILE PHOTO: Wopke Hoekstra, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Prime Minister arrives at the Binnenhof for the Council of Ministers in The Hague, Netherlands July 14, 2023. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/File Photo

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The Dutch nominee to run the European Union's climate change portfolio is likely to face a tough hearing in the European Parliament to win the role, caught between calls for a more "realistic" approach to climate policies and those seeking more urgent action as extreme weather escalates.

The Dutch government confirmed on Friday that outgoing Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra will be the Netherlands' candidate for the EU Commissioner post.