Putin, Xi and Trump would love to see Ursula von der Leyen go. That’s why the EU must keep her on | Paul Taylor
GuardianJul 28
Ursula von der Leyen Re-elected as European Commission President
Above: Ursula von der Leyen reacts after being reelected to a second 5-year term as head of the European Commission during the plenary session of the European Parliament on July 18, 2024 in Strasbourg, France. Image copyright: Johannes Simon/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
The European Parliament reelected Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday for another five-year term as president of the European Commission. The final count was 401 votes in favor and 284 against — with 15 abstentions and seven invalid votes — exceeding the required threshold of 360.
This result comes after she held multiple closed-door meetings with the primary groups in the European Parliament.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Von der Leyen comfortably won reelection as Europe's democratic center joined forces to defeat extremist political forces that would have torn the bloc apart and destroyed the European way of life. As it currently faces both internal and external challenges, Europe needs continuity and stability — and the leadership of von der Leyen will be key to ensure that.
Establishment-critical narrative
European voters shifted to the right in June only to see the European establishment undemocratically push EU decision-making further to the left to maintain their power by a thin margin — even at the cost of continuing disastrous climate policies. People want change, but broken political systems keep producing the opposite results.