Ursula von der Leyen wins second time period as Brussels chief

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Ursula von der Leyen will serve a second time period as European Fee president after comfortably profitable the help of lawmakers with guarantees to spice up the EU’s defence capabilities and financial competitiveness.

Von der Leyen, who has run the fee since 2019, pledged to remain the course on Europe’s inexperienced transition and in supporting Ukraine if given a second time period. She has pitched herself as a protected pair of fingers because the continent wrestles with struggle, disruptive new applied sciences and political upheaval within the US.

The German received 401 votes within the 720-strong European parliament, after the Inexperienced get together supported a fee candidate for the primary time, becoming a member of the three centrist events that had publicly backed von der Leyen forward of the key poll.

“We’re constructing our personal power. We’re strengthening the qualities that Europe has and we’re working arduous to have a robust Europe,” von der Leyen instructed reporters after her re-election was confirmed.

However she faces a tricky battle to ship on her wide-ranging and impressive guarantees to revive the EU’s competitiveness and increase private and non-private funding, together with in new areas resembling defence and housing.

The fee’s first feminine chief led the EU by the coronavirus pandemic and the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. She pledged to protect the EU’s “aggressive edge”, amid fears of the continent falling behind the US and China, in a pitch to a parliament that has shifted rightward following final month’s elections.

She promised to create new devoted European commissioners for housing, defence, EU enlargement and the Mediterranean area with a remit to sort out migration.

A 31-page coverage proposal launched forward of the vote referenced “funding” 49 instances, interesting to cash-strapped EU governments that need to see long-delayed progress in higher integrating the continent’s capital markets to unlock extra non-public financing for defence, the inexperienced transition and digital wants.

“Europe wants extra funding. From farming to business. From digital to strategic applied sciences. But in addition extra funding in individuals and their abilities,” mentioned von der Leyen.

The following EU price range, operating from 2028 to 2035, needs to be extra carefully linked to respect for the rule of regulation, she added, in addition to making disbursements conditional on reforms and investments, as is at present the case with the EU post-pandemic restoration funds.

“We are going to hold a really clear precept in our price range: respecting the rule of regulation is a should for EU funds. On this price range, and sooner or later,” she instructed the parliament, to applause.

She additionally mentioned Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s current assembly with Russian President Vladimir Putin was “nothing however an appeasement mission”, vowing to keep up EU help for Ukraine’s defence towards Moscow.

Her coverage proposal doc, agreed with the three centrist political events, is a pointy pivot away from her first time period, which was dominated by a sweeping plan to fight local weather change.

She mentioned on Thursday that the main focus of that Inexperienced Deal would swap to implementing current legal guidelines quite than passing new ones.

The Greens, who’ve 53 MEPs, however voted for her. Terry Reintke instructed the meeting in Strasbourg that that they had “made compromises” whereas negotiating with von der Leyen. They ensured “the vast majority of pro-European teams on this home . . . hold the far proper out”.

About 30 per cent of the deputies are from arduous or far-right events.

The proposed defence commissioner, lobbied for by EU capitals owing to Russia’s struggle and the growing likelihood that Donald Trump will win the US election in November and cut back Washington’s dedication to European safety, would search to pool sources on navy spending. 

“No matter elections in different elements of the world, it’s essential . . . we’ve a stronger Europe,” she mentioned when requested whether or not Trump’s marketing campaign had affected her coverage agenda.

Von der Leyen additionally proposed a European-wide air defence system and cyber safety as “initiatives of widespread European curiosity” that might entice EU funding.

EU enterprise teams have lengthy complained about Brussels laws holding them again as they search to compete with the US and China in rising industries resembling inexperienced applied sciences.

Von der Leyen proposed to cost a fee vice-president with “implementation and simplification” to make this course of simpler, and known as for a brand new strategy to EU merger insurance policies that might enable corporations to develop at dwelling and tackle world giants.

“We’d like a contest coverage that helps corporations to scale up,” she mentioned. “Europe should be the house of alternative and innovation.”

Manfred Weber, chief of von der Leyen’s European Folks’s get together, the largest within the meeting, mentioned his members have been “joyful”. “Competitiveness, safety, and stopping unlawful migration are the priorities for the brand new fee.”

However one MEP mentioned von der Leyen’s listing of guarantees was “a European Christmas tree” with presents for all events, whereas questioning whether or not it may all be delivered.