Ursula von der Leyen won the support of EU lawmakers on Thursday (July 18) to secure her reappointment as the President of the European Commission for a five-year term. She needed 361 votes to pass the majority threshold in the 720-seat parliament. Following a secret ballot, von der Leyen was re-elected with 401 votes in favor, 284 against, and 15 abstentions.
In her speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France on Thursday, von der Leyen promised to invest in infrastructure and industry, establish a new “European Defense Union,” and uphold the green transformation of the European continent.
At 65, von der Leyen, a German national, has become one of the most steadfast pillars among European leaders since her election as EU President in 2019. Under her leadership, the European Commission has navigated through the ravaging stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking to the Parliament before the midday vote on Thursday, von der Leyen stated that her upcoming five-year term “will determine Europe’s position in the world for the next fifty years. It will decide whether we shape our future, or events and others shape our future.”
Shortly before the Thursday vote, the Green Party announced their support for her. Previously, she had already garnered support from the center-right European People’s Party (EPP), the center-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D), and the liberal Renew Europe faction.
Earlier in the day, von der Leyen unveiled a 31-page policy proposal outlining her priorities following her re-election. She reiterated her remarks made after last month’s vote, stressing the importance of “maintaining a strong European democratic center” and calling on mainstream parties to “respond to the concerns and challenges in people’s lives and take appropriate actions.”
Von der Leyen pledged to invest “full throttle” in the “green, digital, and social transformation” required by financially strained EU member states. She also vowed to establish a European Defense Union and appoint a Defense Commissioner to address Russia’s ongoing brutal warfare against Ukraine.
According to the proposed new Defense Union, member countries will retain responsibility for their national armed forces but will cooperate more closely with others to “coordinate efforts to enhance the defense industry base.” She also proposed establishing a Europe-wide air defense system and network protection measures.
The day before her re-election, the EU’s second-highest court made an unusual accusation against the European Commission, ruling that the Commission’s COVID-19 vaccine contracts signed during the pandemic were not transparent enough.