In an assertion that right and left-wing extremists pose a formidable threat to a unified and peaceful Europe, Ursula von der Leyen has revealed her nomination as the single contender of the preeminent political faction of the EU, the middle-right European People’s Party, for the European Commission (EC) leadership for another half-decade. Speaking at the EPP gathering in Bucharest, the capital of Romania, she proclaimed her resolve to prevent anyone from dismantling Europe’s values and unity.
von der Leyen was successful in her bid for a second term as the EC president, gaining considerable though not entire support with 400 delegates in favour of her and 89 opposed. Her endorsement arrives ahead of the EU parliamentary elections scheduled for June, which will see the instatement of a fresh team of superior officials, including the EC chief.
Subject to the agreement of the 27 EU member nations’ chiefs, Von der Leyen will be granted another term overseeing policies within the bloc on a wide range of issues, including but not limited to big tech, state aid, Chinese investment screening and sanctions against Russia.
She pledged to bolster EU economies, combat human traffickers contributing to irregular migration, enhance competitiveness and back farmers as the cost of living soars. Furthermore, von der Leyen committed additional financial and military support to Ukraine, emphasising that during these challenging times, people’s concerns lie with prosperity, security, and democracy.
Her announcement coincides with Sweden’s official entry into the NATO military alliance, a decision driven by Russia’s outright invasion of Ukraine.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, while stating his endorsement of von der Leyen for another term, applauded her formidable performance during her EC presidency. He noted her contributions in tackling Ukraine, Covid19 and climate issues, and Brexit’s impact on Ireland. Although they had divergent views on Israel and Gaza, he mentioned that her stance has become more balanced since the onset of the conflict.
The EU’s decision to resume and boost financial assistance to meet Palestinian humanitarian requirements came under spotlight, and it was notably her choice to do so, he stated.
In Bucharest, newly-elected Polish prime minister Donald Tusk remarked that the postwar era of tranquil peace that Europe experienced is no longer enjoyed. He indicated that the present time is more reminiscent of a pre-war era, and opposed recent thoughts that the post-Cold-War peace was an illusion of permanence. Despite this, Tusk emphasized the need not to surrender to adversity. He asserted that every individual had the power via their vote in June to curb unwanted factions in Europe.
Dr Von der Leyen’s most distinguished accomplishments in her first term of the European ‘green deal’ are now met with political controversy as farmers across Europe protest. Due to the increasing dissent and the rise of far-right parties in polling, she has reduced her focus on climate issues since declaring her intention to seek re- election recently. Furthermore, the EPP has shifted its stance, now advocating the relocation of asylum seekers to ‘safe third countries’ for evaluating their claims, as mentioned in their manifesto adopted on Wednesday.
Thierry Chopin, a specialised advisor at the Jacques Delors Institute, observed that Dr von der Leyen seemed to be courting more right-wing voters. She is particularly inching closer to Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, as demonstrated by their recent joint visit to Kyiv. Subscribe to our Inside Politics Podcast for the latest political analysis and discussions, sign up for notifications on your phone for the finest news, analysis and commentary, and keep up to date by finding The Irish Times on WhatsApp.