LAST UPDATE | 18 Jul
THE MUCH-AWAITED VOTE in the European Parliament on whether Ursula von der Leyen should continue as President of the European Commission is taking place today.
The German ex-defence minister lay out her view of Europe to MEPs in Strasbourg. During her speech she discussed how their choice today will shape the Union’s work for the next five years or define their place on the global stage for the next fifty.
Von der Leyen has led the European Commission since 2019 but her leadership has come under particular focus since the breakout of the latest period of violence in the Middle East.
Following the deadly Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, von der Leyen had said that Israel would have Europe’s support in its actions “in the weeks ahead”, leading to criticism that she had given support to the Israeli bombing campaign which followed.
Speaking today, she – for the first time – called for a ceasefire between the Israeli Defence Forces and Hamas. She said too many children, women and men had died as a result of the conflict already.
She urged both sides to agree to a Two-State Solution, adding that it was the only way for Israel and Palestine to continue together in a peaceful future. “The bloodshed in Gaza must stop now,” she told MEPs.
Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan called out von der Leyen after her speech, accusing her of not committing enough to help the Palestinians and claimed the German politician was allowing Israel to breach international law.
“We are witnessing the most documented genocide in history. And still, there are no consequences for Israel,” she said to the candidate and other parliamentarians.
Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan calls out von der Leyen over her stance on Gaza.
— Muiris O’Cearbhaill (@muirisoc) July 18, 2024
“We are witnessing the most documented genocide in history. And still, there are no consequences for Israel,” she said. “Colleagues, today, say no to genocide and say no to Von der Leyen.” @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/jC00tn2RpD
“Colleagues, today, say no oto genocide and say no to von der Leyen,” Boylan concluded.
In her role, von der Leyen has also weathered several crises like the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine – and also faced many controversies.
Dealing a blow to von der Leyen a day before the vote yesterday, a top EU court ruled she failed to be transparent enough about coronavirus vaccine contracts.
In her 45-minute address to MEPs today, von der Leyen addressed the many challenges Europe faces over the next five years. At the centre of those challenges, is the ongoing war in Ukraine.
She denounced Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s recent trip to Putin in Moscow, which he said was a “peace mission”.
“This so-called peace mission, was nothing but an appeasement-mission,” Von der Leyen said, to much applause from the chamber of parliamentarians. “Only two days later, Putin’s jet aimed their missiles at a children’s hospital and a maternity ward,” she added.
“That strike was not a mistake. It was a message. A chilling message to all of us.”
She added that, if elected, she will make sure that Europe stands with Ukraine until there is peace in region.
Von der Leyen said that the future of Europe’s liberty is “at stake” as the war goes on in Ukraine and, therefore, she plans to introduce a “Union of Defence” during her second term.
She said that European spending on defence is “too low” and that, while not all member states will be comfortable with the idea, the Union of Defence will set out to create a secure European airspace.
She added that this plan was “not only to protect our airspace, but send a clear and common signal of unity”. Under the plan, von der Leyen also wants to double the staff in Europol, triple the European border security teams and enlarge their mandates.
Von der Leyen recognised that the European Parliament and member states must continue to implement the laws under the Asylum and Migration Pact – a robust reform of migration laws across Europe which was agreed in April this year.
The candidate said she wanted to make sure member states were implementing the laws in a fair way, and wants to continue work to make sure the EU has a “common approach on returns”, to make them “more effective and dignified”.
She said, if she is elected, she will appoint a commissioner for the Mediterranean, an area in Europe where a large number of people seeking asylum attempt to cross – and sometimes die in the body of water as a result.
Von der Leyen said the Mediterranean commissioner is needed as “the future of those two Mediterranean shores, is one of the same”.
The new, neo-fascist Europe of Sovereign Nations group accused the President of not doing enough on Migration and suggested that the Migration and Asylum Pact will not be enough to tackle the influx of people seeking asylum.
The German politician acknowledged that the economic situation of many Europeans as left them struggling under the current economy. Von der Leyen said the EU needs to be the centre of investments.
She said the continents markets are “too fragmented” and committed to the capital markets union – a plan which looks to make investing in Europe and seeking investments easier for citizens and businesses.
The plan has been on the Commission’s desks for five years – but it is understood that there was little haste to introduce the first steps, until now. Von der Leyen said that now is the time for the EU to use and leverage its “enormous wealth”.
Along with the Capital Markets Union, she also wants to introduce a European Investment and Savings Union, to “deepen” the internal market and develop a competitions policy that allows companies to scale up quickly.
“Europe must be the home of opportunity and investments,” she said.
Manon Aubry, French MEP and co-leader of The Left group said in response: “Climb down from your ivory tower and see the reality. We have the multinationals and billionaires who are driving up the prices in our shopping carts.”
She accused Von der Leyen of “strengthening” austerity rules.
Von der Leyen promised to create a Housing Commissioner position, if she is confirmed as Commission President. This intention has been welcomed by Fine Gael MEPs Regina Doherty and Seán Kelly.
Yesterday, Doherty said that she welcomed the discussion on housing to the European Parliament but told The Journal that she did not believe a Housing Commissioner was necessary.
She said: “People are struggling to find affordable homes. This is why – for the first time – I will appoint a Commissioner with a direct responsibility for Housing. And we will develop a European Affordable Housing Plan.”
Her supporters believe she will comfortably clinch the vote by secret ballot after holding weeks of negotiations with lawmakers to push them to back her.
Von der Leyen needs at least 361 votes in the 720-seat parliament, which is holding its first sitting in the French city of Strasbourg since EU-wide elections in June.
This will likely be von der Leyen’s only shot since her candidacy was already hotly debated by EU leaders in June.
If the 65-year-old fails to get a majority, the 27 leaders will be expected to put forward a new name.
Von der Leyen belongs to the biggest political group in the parliament, the conservative European People’s Party (EPP), which is in a centrist coalition with the Socialists and Democrats and the liberal Renew Europe groups.
In theory, that coalition has the numbers to get von der Leyen over the line.
The position of Ireland’s MEPs has been the subject of some debate, with only Fine Gael members declaring their intention to vote for von der Leyen.
Fianna Fáil’s Barry Andrews and Billy Kelleher have also announced that they will not be voting for her either. It is understood that the other two other Fianna Fáil MEPs, Barry Cowen and Cynthia Ní Murchú, will also not support the incumbent.
Sinn Féin’s two MEPs Kathleen Funchion and Lynn Boylan will also vote against von der Leyen with Labour’s Aodhán Ó Ríordáin also ruling out voting for her.
The vote will take place at 12pm (Irish time), with the results expected at 2pm.
With reporting by © AFP 2024 and Rónán Duffy
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