Ursula von der Leyen secures five more years in top EU job
Ursula von der Leyen has been re-elected as President of the European Commission after a secret ballot among Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).
In a vote held in Strasbourg on Thursday, she received support from 401 MEPs, exceeding the required number by 41 votes.
Von der Leyen, representing the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), was first elected in 2019.
She will now lead the EU for another five-year term.
“You can imagine this is a very emotional and special moment for me,” she said after the vote, hailing the result as a sign of strong confidence.
In her speech to MEPs earlier that day, Von der Leyen pledged to advocate for European defence with increased military spending and reiterated her commitment to climate targets.
She also condemned “demagogues and extremists” who “destroy our European way of life” and vowed to work with “all the democratic forces” in the Parliament.