Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission has indicated she may be willing to accept far-right backing should her previous allies from the mainstream fail to endorse her for a second term. Following her European People’s Party (EPP) party’s recent election victory, Ms von der Leyen did not confirm whether she intends to seek the support of Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party and its Brussels branch – the European Conservatives and Reformists. There is also outstanding question of her potential backing from the Identity and Democracy party, majorly controlled by Marine Le Pen.
Ms von der Leyen clarified that due to the imminent formation of new groups, it is unclear what size they will be or who will align with them. She affirmed that her immediate focus will be on working with her previous partners. However, she stated that she remains open to new alliances.
Disregarding the imminent elections in France, Ms von der Leyen expressed her conviction that the upcoming debate among heads of state will unfold as planned. She secured strong support on Monday, from her own party, the Christian Democratic Union in Berlin as well as Bavaria’s Christian Social Union. Their collective victory in the European election, comprising 30% of Germany’s votes, played a key role in the clear lead for the EPP in the next parliament.
Friedrich Merz, the chairman of CDU, lauded Ms von der Leyen and expressed his expectation that the Berlin government led by Olaf Scholz will acknowledge the election results and nominate her for another term. Reacting to skepticism concerning her obtaining far-right backing for her second tenure, Mr Merz contested that those who lost in the election have no right to dictate the terms of negotiation. Mr Merz further asserts that recent democracy demonstrators must respect democratic protocols which currently favour Ursula von der Leyen’s second term as European Commission president.
The coming months present a fine line to tread for a pair of CDU politicians, as they may have to work with parties at the EU level who have been dismissed by Mr Merz domestically as political allies. A period of intensive discussion lies ahead, and Ms von der Leyen firmly asserts that the recent European election results underline a strong centrist hold. Her party, the EPP, demonstrated resilience against extreme pressure and delivered a responsible and successful performance in the EU, she said.
Upon querying about her priorities for a second term, Ms von der Leyen emphasised a continued drive to fortify European democracy against foreign disinformation campaigns, and the promotion of a “protective shield”. Enhancing efforts to combat climate change without negatively impacting economic growth was another focus, and the state of the economy in her home country – currently experiencing a downturn – could significantly impact this.
Despite the existing EU directive to prohibit traditional engines by 2035, Germany’s CDU/CSU party had campaigned during the European election season to control this. This act was seen as a lifeline for its automobile industry, a large-scale employer and significant taxpayer. In her second term, Ms von der Leyen stated her approach towards climate change will be aligned with investment, innovation, and pragmatism, signalling to defenders of the internal combustion engine.
Germany’s Free Democratic Party (FDP), an ally within the Scholz coalition in Berlin, indicated “substantive conditions” for endorsing Ms von der Leyen’s candidacy. In addition to support for petrol and diesel engines and the new immigration pact, FDP leader Christian Lindner also expressed that the new president of the commission must not advocate for a single European Community debt. This contentious issue is poised to be a dominating factor in Brussels for the next five years.