Ursula von der Leyen Faces Test as EU Parliament Votes on Second Term

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen makes her final pitch for a second term as she faces a vote by the European Parliament. Her reelection is not guaranteed, despite her popularity, as some lawmakers within her own party could vote against her.

As the European Parliament prepares to cast its votes on whether to grant Ursula von der Leyen a second term as President of the European Union's executive commission, the German politician faces an uncertain fate. Despite her popularity, some lawmakers within her own center-right European People's Party could still vote against her.

Von der Leyen delivered a final leadership pitch in a speech to lawmakers, pledging to be a strong leader for Europe in a time of crisis and polarization. She vowed to strengthen the EU economy, its police and border agencies, tackle migration, and pursue policies tackling climate change while also helping farmers who have staged protests against EU bureaucracy and environmental rules.

Ursula von der Leyen Faces Test as EU Parliament Votes on Second Term

She also criticized Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's recent visit to Russia, calling it an "appeasement mission" and vowing that Europe would remain shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine.

However, von der Leyen has faced some criticism for her handling of the EU's COVID-19 vaccine purchase agreements with pharmaceutical companies. The EU general court ruled Wednesday that the commission did not allow the public enough access to information about these agreements.

Ursula von der Leyen Faces Test as EU Parliament Votes on Second Term

Von der Leyen's re-election is not a foregone conclusion. She needs a straight majority of 361 votes to secure a second term.

The vote comes on the heels of strong gains by the far right in last month's election for the European Parliament. If von der Leyen is rejected, it would leave leaders of the 27-nation bloc scrambling to find a replacement.

Over the past five years, 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.

As the debate ended, she told lawmakers: "I hope to have your trust and confidence for the next years. Long live Europe."

Von der Leyen's election came as newly elected U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer was welcoming some 45 heads of government to discuss migration, energy security, and the threat from Russia as he seeks to restore relations between the U.K. and its European neighbors.

The leaders signed off on the conservative German von der Leyen at a summit meeting late last month. The 65-year-old von der Leyen’s bid was boosted when the European People's Party, which includes von der Leyen’s Christian Democratic Union, remained the largest group at the EU Parliament after the elections.

Following the elections for EU Parliament, European Union leaders agreed on the officials who will hold the key positions in the world’s biggest trading bloc in the coming years for issues ranging from antitrust investigations to foreign policy. At the side of von der Leyen will be two new faces: Antonio Costa of Portugal as European Council president and Estonia’s Kaja Kallas as the top diplomat of the world’s largest trading bloc.

While Costa’s nomination only needed the leaders’ approval, Kallas will also need to be approved by European lawmakers later this year. The Estonian prime minister is a staunch supporter of Ukraine and a fierce critic of Russia within the European Union and NATO.