Ursula von der Leyen has been re-elected as the President of the European Commission, securing a second five-year term.
The German former defense minister, who has led the European Commission since 2019, pledged to address the EU’s key challenges, including enhancing defense capabilities and strengthening European industries.
In a decisive vote, von der Leyen received support from 401 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in the 720-seat chamber in Strasbourg, surpassing the required 361-vote majority. The secret ballot saw 284 MEPs voting against her.
Elated by the outcome, von der Leyen celebrated with fist pumps and described the moment as both emotional and special, interpreting the result as a strong vote of confidence.
Her first term was marked by significant crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. “We have navigated the most troubled waters that our union has ever faced,” she remarked, while acknowledging the challenging times ahead, including the potential return of Donald Trump to the US presidency and ongoing conflicts in and around Europe.
Von der Leyen emphasized the need for a “strong Europe” in a period of profound uncertainty. She also highlighted issues like the risk of wider conflict in the Middle East and the EU’s trade tensions with China.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed optimism about improving EU-UK relations, stating his eagerness to work closely with von der Leyen.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also voiced their support, with Scholz calling her re-election a testament to the EU’s resilience.
European Council President Charles Michel, despite past tensions with von der Leyen, welcomed her re-election and stressed the importance of unity and cooperation in addressing shared challenges.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky extended his best wishes to von der Leyen, hoping for strengthened EU unity and defense.
Von der Leyen’s re-election followed intense discussions among the EU’s 27 leaders, who endorsed her candidacy as a symbol of continuity. Representing the conservative European People’s Party, she garnered support from a centrist coalition with the Socialists and Democrats and the liberal Renew Europe groups.
She assured continued investment in key industries, including defense, while maintaining the EU’s ambitious climate goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent by 2040.
