A fairly comfortable victory. Ursula von der Leyen was confirmed this Thursday as head of the European Commission by the European Parliament. A relatively close vote, with 401 votes in favor out of the 707 MEPs present, enough to secure a new five-year term at the head of the European Union executive, where she has established herself since 2019 through crises.
After the green light from the heads of state of the Twenty-Seven at the end of June, Ursula von der Leyen, 65, had to secure the support of at least 360 MEPs to secure a new five-year term at the head of the European executive, where she has established herself since 2019 through crises. Five years ago, the vote had been extremely close, and the former German minister had only been confirmed by nine votes.
A broad roadmap
Earlier on Thursday, Ursula von der Leyen had tried to convince MEPs to grant her this second term at the head of the Commission, by developing a vast roadmap aimed at securing a possible majority of the Greens for Giorgia Meloni’s party. The German leader tried for almost an hour to respond to the sometimes contradictory expectations of the various political groups.
She has committed to massively increasing investments in the defence industry – to which a commissioner will be dedicated – and in critical technologies of the transition, with a concern for “technological neutrality” so as not to disqualify nuclear power. But she has also displayed her socio-environmental priorities: “pragmatic” application of the Green Deal, ambitious 2040 climate objective (-90% emissions), “affordable housing plan” with a commissioner in charge of this issue, protection of water resources, etc.
Having long advocated a “Geopolitical Commission”, the former German minister pleaded for “a strong Europe” in a “period of great anxiety and uncertainty”. It aims to be a guarantee of stability in the face of global tensions: trade disputes with Beijing, the possible return of Donald Trump, wars in Ukraine and Gaza, etc.
“Pro-European majority against the extreme right”
“To maintain our prosperity, we must invest massively to green our industries […] “We have accepted compromises (…) but what is crucial today is to maintain a pro-European majority against the extreme right,” Green co-leader Terry Reintke reacted earlier this Thursday.
“The speech takes up our priorities: a real European Defense, European preference for our companies, fair prices for farmers […] to build a real European power,” commented Pascal Canfin (Renew).
Ursula von der Leyen had also reaffirmed in a written programme her defence of the use of synthetic car fuels after 2035 and insists on the interests of farmers, key demands of the conservatives. Finally, she promises to strengthen Frontex, the EU agency responsible for borders, and to triple the number of border and coast guards: pledges given to the EPP, but also to the far-right ECR group associated with the Italian leader Giorgia Meloni.
Don’t “play Putin’s game”
On the international front, Ursula von der Leyen also accused Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban of “playing the game” of Vladimir Putin and proposed a “European shield of democracy […] countering the manipulation of information and foreign interference”. “The people of Europe have expressed their refusal of punitive ecology, of mass immigration […] “This cry from the heart cannot remain unanswered,” replied the president of the “Patriots” Jordan Bardella, who had voted the day before against a resolution condemning Viktor Orban’s visit to Moscow.
Another aspect discussed: the impact of the EU justice verdict criticizing Brussels this Wednesday for its lack of transparency in the purchases of anti-Covid vaccines negotiated with laboratories. “45 minutes of self-celebration, not a word on the vaccine contract scandal: we are asking for the vote to be postponed,” protested Manon Aubry, head of the radical left group.