Ursula von der Leyen was re-elected as the European Commission President, securing another five years at the helm of Europe´s future.
Von der Leyen, from the centre-right European People´s Party, won 401 votes in the secret ballot on July 18; well above the 361 votes required to be elected. There were 284 votes in opposition, 15 abstentions and 7 votes declared invalid.
Holding the office
Von der Leyen was first elected in 2019 and at the start of her first term, made battling climate change her foremost aim. Since her presidency, the EU has adopted the most innovative package of emissions-cutting policies of any major economy in the world.
She became the first woman to hold the office and has since emphasised the importance of developing gender-equal opportunities across Europe.
As president, Von der Leyen determines which issues the European Commission will prioritise and which get billions of euros of EU money, affecting the 37 EU countries and their 450 million citizens.
Von der Leyen´s plan
In her speech before the vote, Von der Leyen expressed her vision of a stronger and more prosperous Europe, highlighting key initiatives including European air shield defence for safety and the European Competitiveness Fund to boost innovation.
She also stated her plan to boost security by doubling Europol´s staff and tripling the number of European Border and Coast Guards. In the matter of the crisis between Russia and Ukraine, she stated; “Europe will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
Von der Leyen re-emphasised the importance of adapting to climate change and developing a Roadmap for Women´s Rights for future generations; “We must enable young people to make the most of Europe´s freedoms.”
A perfect compromise?
At the voting, Von der Leyen had the support of the three mainstream, pro-European groups; the centre-right European People´s Party, the Socialists and the liberals of Renew.
Yet, leading up to the vote, some lawmakers within these centrist groups expressed their unwillingness to vote for Von der Leyen, causing her to look for support outside her current coalition, including among the left-leaning Greens.
She has made appeals to all parties, staying perfectly in the middle of politics, which some have considered an instability, while others a sign of European power. “A compromise is only perfect when everyone is unhappy,” once said the French politician, European thinker and Nobel Prize winner Aristide Briand and the case is similar to Von der Leyen´s reception, as she has caused divided views from all parties.
Let us do it again
“The last five years have shown what we can do together. Let us do it again. Let us make the choice of strength,” stated Von der Leyen in her speech.
After hearing the positive news about her prolonged presidency, she said to the Press; “You can imagine this is a very emotional and special moment for me.” German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz congratulated Von der Leyen, saying that her re-election is a “clear sign of our ability to act in the European Union, especially in difficult times”
