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 8 2024
Following intense questioning by the European Parliament, Ursula von der Leyen was successfully re-elected as president of the European Commission in a decisive vote on Thursday.
The European Parliament elected Ms. van der Leyen with a strong majority of 401 votes, ensuring stability and continuity for the 27-member bloc. There were 284 votes opposing, 15 abstentions, and seven votes that were invalid.
Following the far right's significant gains in the European Parliament election in June, her reelection was far from guaranteed. Analysts viewed the secret ballot as a significant threat. However, she passed with a larger margin this time than she did in 2019.
0Before the vote, von der Leyen received the backing of the three big groups, the conservatives, the Social Democrats, and the Liberals in the European Parliament. However, several MPs in these groups had said they would not support her. Von der Leyen was able to secure the vote because of the backing from the Green Group. While the Greens may not agree with all of van der Leyen's policies, they supported her to keep the extreme right from influence and power. A pro-Europe democratic majority will ensure stability.