You cannot be serious! Europe’s next migration chief was a tennis hotshot

If there’s an analogy to be found anywhere, it’s that politics, like tennis, is a game of strategy, especially the way Brunner plays them both. On and off court, he has carved out a reputation as a thinker and pragmatist — a politician who plays by the rules after years of scandals in Austrian politics, rather than just going aggressively for the easy win.

That’ll be tested in his role dealing with the challenges posed by migration to Europe, which, according to the latest data, has hit an annual net figure of 4.25 million. It’s an issue governments of the right and left alike are having to grapple with.

Alpine, hardworking, antisocial

However, for Brunner and the Austrians the job may be a disappointment. In the runup to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s announcement on Tuesday, officials had made it known he was hoping for an economic role.

Serving as Austria’s finance minister since December 2021, he hails from Vorarlberg, the westernmost region of the country that for its small size and Alpine scenery, has a strong economic performance, with multiple manufacturing conglomerates based there.

Even Brunner’s hometown, a picturesque village near Lake Constance called Höchst, is home to manufacturing giant Julius Blum.

And here’s another clue about his personality: Locals have a reputation for being hardworking, thrifty, and mildly antisocial compared to their Viennese counterparts.