Only 13 members voted in favour, while 122 were against and two abstained.

The chair of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy Jerzy Buzek said after the vote that a new proposal is now expected from the Slovenian government.

Prime Minister Miro Cerar has already announced a new candidate would be put forward within a few days.

Buzek, who is a member of the European People's Party (EPP), added it would be good if the Slovenian government got in touch with the president-elect of the new European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and agreed on the department to be given to Slovenia.

We do not wish to have to do too much reshuffling, he said, indicating it would be best if Slovenia could find a candidate who could fill the same post, meaning vice-president for the energy union.

Chair of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Giovanni La Via said that Bratušek's was assessed as unfit for the post, since her answers at the hearing were too vague. La Via, also an EPP member, added that Juncker needs to respect to decision of the committees.

Buzek meanwhile described the no vote as responsible and justified, speaking of serious reasons for it and noting it was highly unlikely that the heads of political groups in the European Parliament, who have the final say on the candidates, will ignore the position of more than 100 MEPs. The same goes for Juncker.

Matthias Groote, MEP for the European socialists, also said that Slovenia needs to respond now. The European socialists are insisting that Slovenia put forward a female candidate, Groote indicated, while he did not wish to speculate on any names.

He did confirm that Slovenian MEP Tanja Fajon (S&D/SD), who was one of the three commissioner candidates the Alenka Bratušek government put on a list for Juncker to pick from, has the support of her group.