It’s hardly the orderly transition of power Jean-Claude Juncker might have hoped for.

The president of the European Commission’s plan to install Günther Oettinger as European commissioner for budget and human resources following the resignation of Vice President Kristalina Georgieva is caught in a political firestorm. Oettinger’s use of the term “slant eyes” in reference to the Chinese, the latest in a long line of ill-judged remarks, has given his critics plenty of ammunition at a time when Juncker least needed raised eyebrows.

The Commission president himself has remained quiet, with spokesperson Margaritis Schinas declining repeated invitations to condemn Oettinger’s comments at a press briefing Monday. Schinas was forced to insist to doubtful reporters that Juncker still runs the Commission.

While it is unlikely that Juncker will backtrack on his plan to nominate Oettinger, the European Parliament will have to approve the move, Schinas said Monday, and there is little sign MEPs intend to allow the process to run smoothly.

Many have been quick to voice their disapproval.

“You’ve got to ask how many times Oettinger is going to get away with this behavior,” said Syed Kamall, leader of the third-biggest group in the Parliament, the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists. Describing Oettinger as “a gaffe-prone, untouchable German man” the British MEP mocked Oettinger’s working ethic and suitability for the budget portfolio: “No doubt the Commission’s budget department has already made a bulk order of abacuses in preparation for his arrival.”

“I expect action on behalf of Mr. Juncker who has to ask Mr. Oettinger to resign,” said Fabio de Masi, a left-leaning German MEP. “Mr. Oettinger’s behavior and that of many [former and present] Commissioners — Juncker, [former European Commission President José Manuel] Barroso, [former Commissioner Neelie] Kroes — indicate that they lost any sense of realism and feel untouchable.”

Gianni Pittella, who leads a group of 190 socialist MEPs, said Oettinger “should apologize for his offensive comments.”

Senior socialist MEP Tanja Fajon linked Oettinger’s remarks to a growing mood of intolerance across the continent. “In times of increasing populism and hate speech, the EU should be a leader in promoting tolerance and anti-discrimination, and not adding fuel to the fire,” she said. Romanian MEP Sorin Moisă rejected Oettinger’s attempts to cast his comments as sloppy authenticity. “Indulging in prejudice is not being a free spirit,” he said.

The furor may drag on for months, with MEPs from the budget committee indicating they would rather wait until the incumbent Georgieva leaves her post, possibly as late as December 31, before holding a hearing to cross-examine her replacement. “I don’t think we are going to hold any hearing before Georgieva ends her term,” said José Manuel Fernandes, EPP budget coordinator.

Younous Omarjee, a left-wing MEP from France, said that if Oettinger were to become the Commission’s vice president for budget he would “refuse to work with him and would call on my colleagues to do so as well.”

Michiel van Hulten, a former MEP from Netherlands, also suggested that the European Parliament could make Oettinger’s position in the Commission untenable if they refused to back him for the budget role, provided “there’s political will to do so.”

MEPs and campaigners have also raised concerns that Oettinger may also be handed the human resources portion of Georgieva’s responsibilities as well as control over the EU budget.

Julia Reda, a left-wing German MEP said Oettinger’s views “should utterly disqualify him for any post in the Commission, let alone Georgieva’s portfolio which includes the oversight over the Commission’s human resources,” and its obligation to promote a diverse workforce.

Senior MEPs on the budget committee are already at odds with each other about the impact of Georgieva’s departure.

While Fernandes downplayed suggestions that the drawn-out process would affect EU budget negotiations based on Georgieva’s “excellent proposals,” the budget committee chair Jean Arthuis, a centrist liberal, said her resignation would have repercussions, describing Georgieva’s departure as “terrible” and “worrisome.”

Dennis de Jong, who coordinates the left-wing positions in Parliament’s budget control committee, said: “I shall have to heavily rely on Mr. Oettinger’s performance in this area. That includes matters such as accountability and integrity. Without a clear explanation and apology from him on his recent speech, I do not feel confident that we can co-operate in a constructive manner.”