By I. Hansana, Jadetimes News
Von Der Leyen Approved for Second Term as EU Commission President
Ursula von der Leyen has been approved by the European Parliament for a second five year term as President of the European Commission, the EU's executive arm. The vote took place on Thursday, with 401 votes in favor, 284 against, and 15 abstentions, surpassing the required 361 votes.
Prior to the vote, von der Leyen outlined her plan for the upcoming term. Key initiatives include launching EU defense projects, starting with a European air shield, maintaining strong climate policies, and providing more support for European industries competing with the U.S. and China in reducing emissions.
The next European Commission will propose a new competitiveness fund in the EU budget to invest in technologies like artificial intelligence. Additionally, von der Leyen plans to reform migration policy, focusing on migrant return processes and tripling the number of European border and coast guards.
The European Commission, as the sole body authorized to draft and propose EU policies and laws, wields significant influence over the EU’s 27 countries and their 450 million citizens. It also proposes the EU budget, which amounted to 1.2 trillion euros for 2021/2027, with additional funds for COVID 19 relief.
As President, von der Leyen sets the agenda for the Commission, determining policy priorities and allocation of EU funds, subject to agreement by EU governments. During her first term, she prioritized climate change, leading to the adoption of the world's most ambitious emissions cutting policies by a major economy. Von der Leyen also directed the EU's COVID 19 response, overseeing multi billion euro vaccine contracts, though the handling of these contracts drew criticism from some lawmakers.
With her reappointment secured, von der Leyen will now assemble her team, known as the "college," consisting of one Commissioner from each EU country. National governments are expected to propose their candidates by early August, though some have already done so. In her first term, von der Leyen required countries to submit both male and female nominees to improve gender balance.
The EU will then conduct a thorough vetting process for the nominees, checking for conflicts of interest, followed by extensive hearings by EU lawmakers on the candidates’ plans. This process is expected to be completed by October, allowing the new Commission to begin its legislative work.
