Ursula Von Der Leyen has been re-elected as President of the European Commission after a secret vote among MEPs. She received 401 votes, surpassing the necessary majority. Initially elected in 2019, von der Leyen will now lead the EU for another five years.
She described the outcome as both emotional and a strong endorsement of her leadership. She emphasized the need to protect democracy from internal and external threats and vowed to address the challenges posed by “demagogues and extremists.”
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Ursula Von Der Leyen also pledged to strengthen European defense through increased military spending and to maintain climate commitments. Her re-election was supported by various European leaders, including Germany’s Olaf Scholz, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, and French President Emmanuel Macron, who praised her leadership during challenging times.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed eagerness to “work closely” with Ursula Von Der Leyen following her re-election. As the head of the European Commission, von der Leyen will shape the EU’s policy agenda, direct its political priorities, lead a team of commissioners, and represent the EU internationally.
Later this year, António Costa, former Socialist Prime Minister of Portugal, will take over the European Council, representing the 27 EU governments, while Estonia’s Kaja Kallas will become the EU’s foreign policy chief after resigning as Prime Minister.
Before her re-election, Ursula Von Der Leyen secured support from her centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), Socialists & Democrats, the liberal Renew group, and the Greens, though not all members of these parties backed her. She acknowledged the Greens’ crucial role in her re-election and expressed her gratitude for their support.
Ms. von der Leyen faced opposition from 284 MEPs, particularly from far-right factions like the newly formed Patriots for Europe. Members of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy (FdI) party did not support her, with FdI MEP Nicola Procaccini stating that voting for her would conflict with their principles.
Although Meloni had previously seemed aligned with von der Leyen, her stance has cooled, notably after Meloni’s European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group was excluded from discussions on top EU positions. Meloni later abstained from voting on von der Leyen’s nomination. When asked about the loss of support from Meloni’s affiliates, von der Leyen did not address it directly but emphasized that her approach of uniting democratic forces and working with pro-Europe, pro-Ukraine, and rule-of-law advocates was vindicated.
Reflecting on the potential impact of a Donald Trump victory in the US presidential election, she noted the need for the EU to reduce dependencies and build its own strength while continuing to collaborate with friends and allies.
