Ursula von der Leyen re-elected as European Commission President
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The elections saw 401 votes in favor of von der Leyen, 284 votes against her, and 15 abstentions.
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers a speech during a plenary session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, on December 13, 2023. (AFP)
Centre-right German politician Ursula von der Leyen has been re-elected as president of the European Commission on Thursday, serving an additional five-year term.
401 MEPs voted in favor of von der Leyen for her firm support of Ukraine and her ability to maintain close ties with her European allies, while 284 voted against her, and the remaining 15 abstained from voting.
"The next five years will define Europe’s place in the world for the next five decades. It will decide whether we shape our own future or let it be shaped by events or by others," von der Leyen said before the voting.
Von der Leyen faces criticism from EU politicians
Despite her victory, von der Leyen has faced criticism from European politicians and leaders from varying political spectrums.
Some politicians argued that her commitment to the alliance's Green Deal and upholding rule of law standards have been contradictory, while her affairs with third countries concerning migration policy lack the protection of human rights. In contrast, the leader has faced criticism from far-right politicians on the basis that her ideologies appear more centrist, denouncing her over the Green Deal and other key policies.
The re-elected president was also confronted with transparency issues this week at the EU's general court due to the Commission's illegal concealment of details of the COVID-19 vaccine acquisition contracts.
Von der Leyen's promises
The reduction of bureaucratic burdens for small businesses and proposing a “new clean industrial deal” to general investment in green technology and decarbonizing manufacturing are just some of the policies von der Leyen pledged to pursue during her candidacy, appealing to various parts of the political spectrum.
Friends and foes
Von der Leyen’s presidency was supported by her center-right European People’s Party, the center-left Socialists and Democrats, the liberal Renew Europe, and the Greens group.
The European Conservatives and Reformists group, which is composed of Italy’s Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers and Poland’s Law and Justice, said that “a large majority of national delegations within the ECR Group have confirmed that they would vote against,” but the group would have a “free vote.”
EU parliament overwhelmingly re-elects Metsola as speaker
Meanwhile, the European Parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly re-elected Maltese conservative Roberta Metsola as speaker, marking the first significant vote on EU leadership positions following the June elections.
The bloc is confronting numerous challenges, including a sluggish economy and rising global uncertainties, which leaders will need to address post-election.
In the initial major vote, Metsola secured another two-and-a-half-year term as speaker, receiving 562 votes out of 699 participating MEPs.
Metsola, a member of the largest political group in parliament, the conservative European People's Party (EPP), has held the position since 2022.
She committed to tackling issues affecting EU citizens, including the "looming" housing crisis, and vowed to implement "proper" migration legislation.
"We will leave Europe a better place by creating a new security and defense framework that keeps people safe," Metsola vowed.
