The next commission will also promote green projects, but they will be linked more to industry.
Hannele MuiluEU correspondent
STRASBOURG Ursula von der Leyen was elected chairman of the commission with a majority of 41 votes. It’s not a long neck but a lot more than the last time he was elected with a majority of nine votes.
In his speech before the election, von der Leyen outlined what he would do in his next term. For weeks, groups in the Parliament have been pushing their own goals on him to be included in the program in exchange for his support. In Strasbourg, there was one last jam, when von der Leyen visited all groups except the extreme right and the extreme left.
On Thursday morning, the MEPs of the groups watched with gasps how well von der Leyen takes the goals into account in his speech. In the future, they monitor whether things progress from paper to action.
Von der Leyen was supported by the traditional core composition of the parliament, which includes the own center-right EPP, the Social Democrats and the liberal Renew. In addition, most of the Greens gave their support.
Von der Leyen had to strike a balance, especially in climate matters. The Greens wanted more actions affecting the climate and nature, while the right wing of the own EPP group shunned too much greenness.
According to von der Leyen, the climate goal will be adhered to. However, the center-right likes the fact that climate issues have a strong connection to industry. The “clean industry agreement” is supposed to get time in the first hundred days.
According to the Greens, von der Leyen was not an ideal candidate.
Briefcases for housing and defense
The new commissioners’ portfolios indicate new priority areas.
Establishing the position of Housing Commissioner was important for the Social Democrats, because getting housing is a big problem in, for example, Dem-led Spain.
The Mediterranean commissioner will probably focus on migration from Africa.
The defense commissioner’s portfolio tells about the rapid rise of defense issues to the center of the EU.
We invest in defense anyway. According to von der Leyen, Europe needs, for example, a comprehensive joint air defense system.
There is no mention of money in the program, but many goals require more money from the EU budget or elsewhere in order to be realized. For example, someone has to finance cleantech subsidies.
Next, the chairman of the commission begins to assemble his commission. He says he will start interviews in mid-August. August is a holiday month in Belgium, but Ursula von der Leyen is known as a Duracell who doesn’t need rest periods.