Ursula von der Leyen wins second term at EU helm after green promise

European Commission President is re-elected with 401 votes, 40 more than she needed

Ursula von der Leyen at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France. AFP

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen won a second term on Thursday, after Green MEPs agreed to back her following her pledge to stay the course on Europe's green transition while cushioning its burden on industry.

The 720-member European Parliament approved her with 401 votes in favour, with 284 against and 15 abstentions.

She needed a straight majority of 361 votes.

Ms von der Leyen laid out a programme focused on prosperity and security as she addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg before the secret ballot on her candidacy to lead the European Union's executive body for another five years.

“The next five years will define Europe’s place in the world for the next five decades. It will decide whether we shape our own future or let it be shaped by events or by others,” she said.

After pledging to support Ukraine for as long as it takes in its fight against Russia, Ms von der Leyen said Europe's liberty was at stake and it must invest more in defence.

The former German defence minister pledged to create “a true European Defence Union”, with flagship projects on air and cyber defence.

She also blasted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's recent visit to Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow as an “appeasement mission”, winning broad applause.

Defence policy in Europe has traditionally been the domain of national governments and Nato.

The ballot came hot on the heels of strong gains by the far right in last month's elections for the European Parliament.

Ms von der Leyen, from the centre-right European People’s Party, said: “I will never let the extreme polarisation of our societies become accepted.

“I will never accept that demagogues and extremists destroy our European way of life. And I stand here today ready to lead the fight with all the democratic forces in this house.”

Over the past five years, Ms von der Leyen has steered the bloc through a series of crises, including Britain’s exit from the EU, the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. She has also pushed a Green Deal aiming to make the EU climate-neutral by 2050.

A trained gynaecologist and mother of seven, she held several posts in Angela Merkel's government in Germany before transferring to Brussels.

She had been linked with a switch to Nato's top job but instead chose to seek a second term at the helm of the EU.