The European Parliament confirmed on Tuesday (16 July) Ursula von der Leyen by a paper-thin majority as the new European Commission president, giving her the reins of the EU executive for the next five years.
The German defence minister – a surprise candidate from the EPP, picked by the member states on 21 June – managed to convince a majority of Socialists and liberals in the Parliament with promises of reforms and climate action. She won 383 votes, compared to the minimum of 374 votes necessary, in a secret paper ballot – only nine more than the required minimum.
The votes against were 327 with 22 abstentions or blank vote.
In comparison, five years ago Jean-Claude Juncker was elected with 422 votes. The difference, however, is at that time, there were no doubts that the former prime minister of Luxembourg would get the top EU job. In the case of von der Leyen, a less known figure, who moreover was not even a Spitzenkandidat, uncertainty prevailed in the few weeks before the vote.
More importantly, it appears that the three mainstream groups, EPP, S&D and RE, voted predominantly in favour of the nominee proposed by EU heads of state and government, forging a majority which would be much needed in the years to come.
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The Greens, also a pro-European group, have reportedly voted against, although individual MEPs may have broken the ranks.
Together the EPP, S&D and RE have 442 MEPs, and it is assumed that in all groups there must have been rebels. Sources from the S&D group estimated that 75% of the centre-left MEPs have supported van der Leyen.
Conversely, she also obtained support from what could be described as the opposite camp. Just before the vote, it was announced that Pis, the Eurosceptic ruling party in Poland, would vote for von der Leyen.
The success of von der Leyen could be explained by the flexibility she has shown in recent days, by taking on board political ideas of the socialist, liberal and green groups in her political platform, although she made no firm commitments to deliver on most of the issues.
