MEPs re-elect Von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen won the confidence of the European Parliament on Thursday to renew her position for five more years with a more comfortable majority than in 2019 and made up of the Popular Party, Social Democrats, Liberals and Greens, a coalition that she hopes to maintain for the rest of the legislature.

The vote in the European Parliament puts an end to his campaign to repeat in office after months of contacts with – firstly – the heads of state and government of the European Union who nominated him for the post and, subsequently, with the pro-European groups in the European Parliament in search of a stable majority after the elections in June.

“Last time it was eight votes above the necessary majority and this time it was 41, so much better,” Von der Leyen acknowledged with a smile at a press conference after the announcement of the results.

In his opinion, The result “sends a strong message of confidence and recognition of hard work” that the European Union has undertaken over the past five years, during which it has “navigated the most difficult waters the EU has ever faced and kept the ship afloat.”

Although it is impossible to know who supported him because the vote is secret, the 401 votes in favour indicate that his strategy of prioritising the Greens as coalition partners to add them to the Popular Party, Social Democrats and Liberals has worked.

The four groups together have 454 seats, so the number of rebels finally reached fifty MEPs.