Europe

EU leaders agree to support Ursula von der Leyen for second term

Commission president now faces tight vote in European Parliament to secure re-appointment

Ursula von der Leyen now needs to secure the support of a majority of the 720-seat European Parliament to be confirmed as commission president, with that vote set to take place on July 18th. Photograph: EPA

Jack Power in Brussels
Thu Jun 27 2024 - 22:43

Ursula von der Leyen has won the support of EU leaders for a second term as European Commission president, clearing the way for a tense vote that will decide her political future in the European Parliament next month.

The centre right German politician, who emerged as a surprise pick for the powerful EU job five years ago, was backed for a second term by national leaders during a summit in Brussels on Thursday night.

Dr von der Leyen now needs to secure the support of a majority of the 720-seat European Parliament to be confirmed as commission president, with that vote set to take place on July 18th.

As part of the deal signed off on Thursday, EU leaders agreed that Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas will become the EU’s next foreign affairs chief, and former prime minister of Portugal Antonio Costa will take over as president of the European Council.

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Dr von der Leyen has been a high-profile commission president, previously facing criticism over comments seen as lending unconditional support to Israel in its response in Gaza, in the days after the October 7th attacks by Hamas militants.

The three political groupings that made up Dr von der Leyen’s previous governing coalition in parliament, the centre right European People’s Party (EPP), centrists Renew and centre left Socialists and Democrats (S&D), returned about 400 MEPs in the recent European elections. However, given several factions within those groups have stated they will not support Dr von der Leyen, including Fianna Fáil MEPs, the vote is expected to be very tight.

Earlier in the evening the national leaders agreed to call for Israel to follow orders previously made by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which directed the country to stop its military offensive in the southern Gazan city of Rafah. It is understood Ireland successfully pushed for the language in the statement around the United Nations’ court order to be firmed up in the final draft.

The summit discussed how the EU can boost its defence capabilities, such as by buying military equipment as a group or co-operating on financing future projects such as a common air defence shield.

Dr von der Leyen told the meeting a commission analysis had determined that Russia and China had significantly ramped up their defence spending, compared to the EU, according to one source briefed on the discussion. The commission president said there was a €500 billion gap in spending that the EU would need to make up over the next decade to keep pace.

Earlier, the EU signed a long-term security agreement with Ukraine, which brings many of the supports the bloc is giving to the country in its war with Russia, such as military funding, training and defence co-operation, under one accord.

The agreement says the EU is determined to provide Ukraine with all necessary financial, political, military and diplomatic support, “for as long as it takes and as intensely as needed”. It adds the EU would continue to provide protection to Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russia’s war of aggression.

Speaking at the start of the summit, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said it was urgent that the EU provide more help to Ukraine to defend its skies from Russian bombardments.

Jack Power

Jack Power

Jack Power is acting Europe Correspondent of The Irish Times

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