Ursula von Der Leyen wins second term as top EU leader

18 July 2024, 14:34

Ursula von der Leyen has been re-elected to serve a second five-year term as president of the European Commission.

She was given a comfortable majority to continue her leadership of the European Union's executive commission, heading off a possible leadership vacuum.

Ms Von der Leyen raised both fists in victory as the parliament president Roberta Metsola read out the results at the legislature.

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The re-election ensures leadership continuity for the 27-nation bloc as it wrestles with crises ranging from the war in Ukraine to climate change, migration and housing shortages.

A majority in the 720-seat legislature voted for the German Christian Democrat after a speech in which she pledged to be a strong leader for Europe in a time of crisis and polarisation.

Ms Von der Leyen gained 401 of the 707 votes cast. There were 284 votes against her candidacy, 15 abstentions and seven void ballots.

The secret ballot came hot on the heels of strong gains by the far-right in last month's election for the European Parliament.

"I will never let the extreme polarisation of our societies become accepted. I will never accept that demagogues and extremists destroy our European way of life. And I stand here today ready to lead the fight with all the Democratic forces in this house," Ms von der Leyen said in her final pitch.

If politicians had rejected her candidacy, it would have left leaders of the bloc scrambling to find a replacement.

Instead, the continent now has an experienced pair of hands at the helm.

In a speech that sought to shore up support from across the political spectrum, Ms von der Leyen pledged to strengthen the EU economy, its police and border agencies, tackle migration and pursue policies tackling climate change while also helping farmers who have staged protests against what they call stifling EU bureaucracy and environmental rules.

She also took a swipe at Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban and his recent visit to Russia shortly after his country took over the rotating six-month EU presidency.

"This so-called peace mission was nothing but an appeasement mission," Ms von der Leyen said as she vowed that Europe would remain shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine.

One radical right politician, Diana Iovanovici-Sosoaca of Romania, was escorted out of the parliament's chamber for heckling a speaker during the debate following Ms von der Leyen's speech.

Ms Iovanovici-Sosoaca briefly wore what appeared to be a muzzle and held up religious icons before being led out of the room.

Over the past five years, Ms von der Leyen has steered the bloc through a series of crises, including Britain's exit from the EU, the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. She has also pushed a Green Deal aiming to make the EU climate-neutral by 2050.

As the debate ended, she told politicians: "I hope to have your trust and confidence for the next years. Long live Europe."

Ms von der Leyen's election came as Prime Minister Keir Starmer was welcoming some 45 heads of government to discuss migration, energy security and the threat from Russia as he sought to restore relations between the UK and its European neighbours.