Von Der Leyen Re-elected as EU Commission President

July 19, 2024

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, was re-elected and will serve for another five years. 401 votes from the European Parliament supported her election, showing a large group of people who agree with her in the face of ongoing global problems.

Election Details

The secret vote took place in Strasbourg, and von der Leyen got a lot of support from the Greens, as well as from parties on the center-right, center-left, and liberal sides. This alliance helped her easily get more votes than the necessary majority of 361 votes.

Key Pledges

From der Leyen listed her main goals for the new term, which are:

Defense Union: A promise to build a European Defense Union to make everyone safer, especially in light of Russia’s aggressiveness.
Climate Policy: Moving forward with the European Green Deal, which aims to cut emissions by 90% by 2040 compared to 1990 levels.
Competition in the Industrial Sector: Efforts to help European businesses switch to cleaner methods without hurting their ability to compete.

Response to Global Issues

Problems that her program tries to solve include:

War in Ukraine:The West continues to back Ukraine against Russian military actions, saying that it is protecting European ideals and freedoms.
Defense Reliance: Stressing that Europe needs to improve its defenses, especially since the US’s help is uncertain.

Controversies and Criticism

Russia did not like Von der Leyen’s ideas and called them attempts to make the country more militarized. At home, Parliament agreed with what she said about Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s diplomatic attempts, which shows how tense things are politically in Europe.

About Ursula von der Leyen

Ursula von der Leyen, who was born in 1958, will be the first woman to lead the European Commission when she starts her job in December 2019. Before, she was Germany’s Minister of Defense, which made her the first woman to fill that job. She is an educated doctor and has a background in economics as well. von der Leyen is skilled in English, French, and Dutch, among other languages. He has six children. She stressed the EU’s digital and green changes in 2021.

About European Union

Formation and Membership: Established in 1993 by the Maastricht Treaty, the EU currently has 27 member states, with Brussels serving as its de facto capital.
Economic and Monetary Union: The Euro is the official currency for 19 member countries, and the Maastricht criteria guide its adoption. The EU’s annual budget exceeds €160 billion, facilitating economic cooperation.
Population and Achievements: With a population of over 447 million, the EU promotes peace and stability in Europe. It won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012 for its efforts in improving reconciliation.

« Previous Post Next Post »