URSULA VON DER LEYEN WINS SECOND TERM AS EU COMMISSION PRESIDENT

URSULA VON DER LEYEN WINS SECOND TERM AS EU COMMISSION PRESIDENT After committing to EU Defence and Green Agenda

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was elected for a second term on Thursday after pledging to create a continental “defence union” and stay the course on Europe’s green transition while cushioning its burden on industry.

Members of the European Parliament backed von der Leyen’s bid for another five-year term at the helm of the European Union’s powerful executive body with 401 votes in her favour and 284 against in a secret ballot in the 720-member chamber.

In an address to the Parliament in Strasbourg earlier in the day, von der Leyen laid out a programme focused on prosperity and security, shaped by the challenges of Russia’s war in Ukraine, global economic competition and climate change.

The case was instigated by Green MEPs seeking transparency on vaccine contracts, highlighting the Commission’s refusal to disclose crucial documents despite public interest. This refusal triggered legal action, culminating in the damning verdict against the Commission’s secrecy.