The German politician won her second mandate with 401 votes
Ursula von der Leyen was approved by the European Parliament as President of the European Commission with 401 votes in favor, 284 against, and 15 abstentions, whereas 360 votes were enough for a majority.
“Five more years. I don’t know how to express how grateful I am for the trust of all the MEPs who voted for me,” were the first words von der Leyen expressed on X social network, having received votes from the People’s Party, the Socialists, the Liberals, and support from the Greens, while the European Conservatives and Reformists, a faction that includes Italy’s ruling party (Brothers of Italy) explained through the group’s president, Nicola Procaccini, that “voting for von der Leyen would mean going against some of our principles. On the other hand, we want to have an extremely constructive relationship.”
In her speech, von der Leyen spoke of “destiny-determining choices,” explaining the absolute necessity of preserving democracy in Europe and a strong Europe. “I will not allow the extreme polarization of our society to be accepted, nor will I allow extremism or demagoguery to destroy our European way of life.”
About the economy: “We need to make doing business in Europe easier and faster. I rank speed, consistency, and simplification among my top policy priorities. Each commissioner will be tasked with focusing on reducing administrative burdens and simplifying implementation: less bureaucracy and reporting, more trust, better enforcement, faster approval.” Von der Leyen noted that the fundamentals of the global economy are changing and that Europe’s competitiveness needs a strong boost. “The European Recovery Fund will cease to exist in the next few years, but Europe’s investment needs will not cease. To take advantage of private investment, we also need public funding.”
Von der Leyen then spoke about Orban’s visit to Russia, explaining that “no one wants peace more than Ukraine, and the EU will support Ukraine as long as necessary,” and about the situation in Gaza: “The bloodshed in the Gaza Strip must stop here and now,” and concluded her speech with a quote from French politician Jacques Delors, a former president of the commission: “Our community is not only a product of history, but also of our will.”