Ursula von der Leyen has been reappointed as the European Commission president, with a revolt by several MEPs not being enough to unseat the German politician.
Members from across the political spectrum had pledged to vote against von der Leyen in the secret ballot on July 18, citing various issues ranging from her failures on the war in Ukraine to her unwillingness to work openly with Europe’s Conservative parties.
The swell of discontent was not enough to prevent her reappointment, with support from the European People’s Party (EPP), the Socialists & Democrats group, Renew Europe and some Green politicians resulting in her receiving 401 votes, 40 more than the 361 needed for her to survive.
Right-wing politicians have expressed disappointment at the result, claiming that Von der Leyen represents everything that EU citizens voted against during the elections in June.
“Von der Leyen is the embodiment of an EU agenda rejected by the European voters,” Patriots for Europe MEP Tom Vandendriessche told Brussels Signal.
“It’s more of the same. Climate madness, migration chaos, and endless wars.
“In typical EU fashion they ignore the voter’s signal. Yet they continue to lecture the whole world about democratic values, total hypocrisy,” the Vlaams Belang parliamentarian concluded.
ESN representative Siegbert Droese in particular highlighted Von der Leyen’s “bad policies” regarding climate change and the COVID pandemic as having harmed Europe.
“What has been von der Leyen’s success in the last five years? Nothing but climate madness, Green Deal blah blah and corrupt vaccination deals,” he told Brussels Signal.
“The EU leadership needs a different style of politics in the interests of the people and sovereign nations of Europe. We do not need an EU regime that imposes sanctions on member states and fights freedom of speech.”
European Conservative and Reformist group Vice-Chair Charlie Weimers attributed Von der Leyen’s success to the European Greens.
“She survived thanks to the votes from the Green group,” he told Brussels Signal.
“Now I fear that she will have to deliver policy to make them happy over these next five years.”
“I’m leaving Strasbourg with a pretty bad feeling.”
The co-chair of the Greens, Bas Eickhout, appeared to agree with Weimers’ analysis that his group was central to von der Leyen’s success, agreeing with one journalist that they are now a “queenmaker” within the EP.
“It’s a bit weird to say that about yourself, right,” he noted. “But I do think that we played an essential role.”
“And I try to say that without a smile,” he added with a little grin.
He went on to dismiss any suggestion that the Commission president could abandon him in the future for a more right-leaning coalition.
“In the end, you can try to build something with the far-right, but the only thing you can have with the far-right is that they can block things,” he claimed.
“I’ve never seen the far-right building something, and I know the EPP as a party that wants to build something.”
Never before has the European Parliament rejected a candidate for the presidency of the European Commission proposed by the European Council.
In 2019, when she was first elected, Ursula von der Leyen received 383 votes in favour, just nine more than the absolute majority she required to be elected.
Despite the odds, von der Leyen has now extended this margin.
Roberta Metsola has secured broad backing for a new term as president of the European Parliament, becoming the first woman to win a second term as head of the EU assembly. https://t.co/MEleukPVy8
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) July 16, 2024
