Keeping her promise to have the first gender-balanced college, future President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has approved MEP Adina Valean as the EU Commissioner for Romania, a spokesperson for the transition team told Reuters on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, the President of Romania had also proposed MEP Siegfried Muresan to become the country's commissioner.

“Both candidates had interviews with the President-elect and did well. The President-elect decided for Adina Valean to take on the portfolio of transport”, a spokesman said.

Valean will now face European lawmakers on November 14 in Brussels before her nomination can be officially confirmed — with the objective of having the new college start on December 1.

Ioan Mircea Pașcu, the 70-year-old former Romanian defence minister, was set to fill-in as commissioner for Corina Crețu, who quit over the summer to become an MEP.

But in September, Pașcu wrote on Facebook that Romania's ambassador to the EU had told him that she had received instruction to revoke his candidacy. Later, a spokesperson for the Romanian representation to the EU confirmed in an email to Euronews that the nomination had been withdrawn.

The UK is now the only country that has to name a candidate.