The European Parliament re-elected European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with 401 votes in favour, 284 against, 15 abstentions. Von der Leyen secured the European Council nomination thanks to a backroom deal struck by the European People’s Party (EPP), the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), and Renew. The mainstream political groups appeared to have united behind the German politician, providing her with more than the 361 votes needed for re-election.
In the coming weeks, the European Parliament will vote on the College of Commissioners.
‘5 more years,’ von der Leyen wrote in a post on X after the vote. ‘I can’t begin to express how grateful I am for the trust of all MEPs that voted for me,’ she added.
5 more years.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) July 18, 2024
I can’t begin to express how grateful I am for the trust of all MEPs that voted for me. pic.twitter.com/d9n3yfIVtS
In a speech—lasting almost an hour—before the vote, Ursula von der Leyen presented her program, making a series of political promises to secure the 361 votes needed for her election. These commitments include cutting administrative burdens and proposing a clean industry deal, which appears to be a reconsideration of the controversial Green Deal on climate change measures. Von der Leyen also announced the creation of a new commissioner position to address housing issues, the Housing Commissioner. She emphasized that her priority for the next five years will be to promote European competitiveness and prosperity.
Von der Leyen again criticized Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s peace mission,
referring to it as his ‘appeasement mission’ to meet Vladimir Putin in Moscow. She said that no one wants peace more than the people of Ukraine, desiring a just and lasting peace for a free and independent country. ‘Europe will stand by Ukraine as long as necessary, that is our message,’ she underlined.
The politician also spoke about Europe’s defence prospects, underlining that the continent has a duty to defend itself and that a real defence union must be created. She highlighted the importance of building a single market for the defence industry and financing common European projects.
Regarding the EU’s policy towards China, von der Leyen stated she would seek to ‘deter China’ from invading Taiwan. ‘The Indo-Pacific has become a decisive region for the world's future,’ she underlined. ‘We will work with Japan, Korea, New Zealand, and Australia, with whom we face common challenges. This includes our collective efforts to deploy the full range of our combined statecraft to deter China from unilaterally changing the status quo by military means, particularly over Taiwan,’ she added.
Von der Leyen also stated that she would reform the EU treaties
to improve the European Union, asserting that the EU institutions must use the momentum as ‘a catalyst for change in terms of our capacity to act, our policies, and our budget.’ She told lawmakers that she wants to work with them on these reforms, promising ‘a closer partnership between the Commission and the Parliament.’
Jordan Bardella, Chairman of the new right-wing political group co-founded by Viktor Orbán, Patriots for Europe (PfE), expressed his opposition to ‘punitive ecology,’ mass migration, and Ursula von der Leyen’s second mandate after her speech. He argued that voting for von der Leyen would ignore the EU election results, which ‘strengthened patriotic forces committed to tradition and identity.’
En renforçant les mouvements patriotes, les peuples ont exprimé leur aspiration à la protection, à la défense de leur identité et à la démocratie.
— Jordan Bardella (@J_Bardella) July 18, 2024
Pour la France et pour l'Europe, Mme von der Leyen, nous nous opposerons à votre reconduction à la tête de la Commission européenne. pic.twitter.com/FpYAjyF7PQ
Kinga Gál, PfE First Vice-Chairman, emphasized the need for change, stating that Europe is weaker today than it was five years ago. In her speech, she criticized von der Leyen for failing to take action for peace, allowing the migration pact to pass, and failing to protect children from LGBTQ propaganda. She added that during her previous presidency, von der Leyen harmed farmers, weakened Europe’s competitiveness, and concluded vaccine contracts suspected of corruption. Additionally, she accused von der Leyen of undermining the sovereignty of member states and applying double standards to Hungary. Gál stated that the PfE would not vote for von der Leyen.
❌ We, the @PatriotsEP will not support the re-election of @vonderleyen in today's vote. I pointed out how she has gone against the interests of the European people over the last 5 years. 👇 pic.twitter.com/5UA3OZPskT
— Kinga Gál (@kingagalMEP) July 18, 2024
Giorgia Meloni’s European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) did not reveal before the vote whether they would support a second von der Leyen presidency.
Related articles:
