Ursula von der Leyen remains the head of the European Commission for the next five years after receiving 401 votes from the European Parliament. Leyen needed a majority of at least 360 votes. 284 MEPs voted against, and 15 abstained. It will go through the vote of the European Parliament once again in the autumn, together with the whole team of European Commissioners.
Her re-election as the head of the European Commission marks a continuity with the policies of past years. But as some rejoiced at the news, some weren’t that convinced that another five years with Ursula von der Leyen at the helm is what the European Union needs.
The next five years will also be crucial for Eastern Europe given that the Commission aims to bring in new members. It remains to be seen how under von der Leyen’s leadership the European Commission would take in new members like Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia.
The Greens said the vote “confirms a four-group democratic majority in the House and prevents the far-right from driving the agenda of the EU over the next five years.”
The EPP which is the largest group in the European Parliament considers the reelection a success for the European Commission and the entire European Union. The EPP leader Manfred Weber, a German MEP, said he considers von der Leyen’s election “to be a victory for democracy and a united Europe.” Rareş Bogdan another MEP from the European People’s Party said that the election of von der Leyen is reassuring for the safety and security in Europe: “This is not a time for experiments, we surely need a steady hand at the helm of the European Union”. “We, the European People’s Party managed to create a pro-European majority that helped isolate extremist groups and promoted the best people to head key EU institutions”, said the Romanian MEP.
The S&D Group, the 2nd biggest after the EPP in the parliament, also voted to back the former German defence minister for another term in office. It’s leader said that “for the first time, the EU will have a European strategy against poverty and we will finally address the problem of housing, with a Commissioner for housing. And this will happen because we asked for it.”
On the other side of the aisle, the ECR chairman representing the conservative group in the European Parliament said that von der Leyen,she had been “a very poor president, perhaps the worst.” He added saying to von der Leyen that “your management style was terrible. Decision-making in a narrow group of German advisors, arrogance, hypocrisy, lack of cooperation with commissioners. we unenthusiastically supported your candidacy five years ago. We made this decision, choosing the lesser evil.”
Reactions came also from world leaders. The German chancellor was the most ecstatic “Congratulations on your re-election, Ursula von der Leyen – a clear sign of our ability to act in the European Union, especially in difficult times. Europeans expect us to take Europe forward. Let’s do it!”
“I wish President von der Leyen every success in achieving results for all Europeans and strengthening EU’s unity, defense, and economic power”, said the Ukrainian president.
“For a more sovereign, more prosperous and competitive, more democratic Europe, congratulations dear Ursula von der Leyen!”, president Macron told the press. The new UK PM congratulated Ursula von der Leyen on her re-election as president of the EU Commission. “I look forward to working closely with you to reset the relationship between the UK and the European Union.”
