The German conservative won a second term as European Commission president, despite wavering support in the run-up to the vote. She has promised to slash carbon emissions and shore up border security.
Germany’s Ursula von der Leyen has been given a second term as European Commission president. She was reelected by the European Parliament.
Despite her center-right European People’s Party (EPP) bloc being the largest in parliament, her victory was anything but certain. Following EU elections in June, European leaders had to make a deal on her candidacy over the objections of far-right figures like Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Meloni had argued that von der Leyen leaves parties like hers out of the political conversation.
Von der Leyen had also faced pushback from within her own EPP. Because the ballot is secret, lawmakers are under less pressure to stick to party lines. A group of French lawmakers from the EPP penned a letter accusing von der Leyen of “technocratic drift,” vowing not to vote for her.
At the same time, several centrist MEPs from Ireland had sworn not to vote for her due to her stance on Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
Environmental and security pledges
In an apparent effort to appease critics in the run-up to the vote, von der Leyen said she would press harder for a cease-fire.
“The bloodshed in Gaza must stop now,” she said, adding that “the people of Gaza cannot bear any more, and humanity cannot bear any more… We need an immediate and enduring cease-fire. We need the release of Israeli hostages, and we need to prepare for the day after.”
She also promised to target cutting greenhouse gas emissionsby 90% by 2040, saying a new energy bill would also drive down prices for consumers.
Von der Leyen also pledged to continue supporting Ukraine and to beef up EU border security agency Frontex and drive down irregular migration.
“We must strengthen Frontex to make it more effective while fully respecting fundamental rights. I will propose to triple the number of European border and coast guards to 30,000,” she said.
es/fb (AFP, dpa, Reuters)
Source: dw.com