LAST UPDATE | 18 Jul
URSULA VON DER Leyen will serve a second term as the President of the European Commission for the next five years after the European Parliament elected her today.
Some 401 MEPs voted in favour of von der Leyen, while 284 voted against, and 15 abstained.
Seven votes meanwhile were void.
Von der Leyen has said she “can’t begin to express how grateful I am for the trust of all MEPs that voted for me”, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said her re-election was “a clear sign of our ability to act in the European Union, especially in difficult times”.
Speaking at a press conference after the election, she said that she had no regrets over how she sought out support from other MEPs in the run up to today and that she was pleased the number of votes had risen, when compared to 2019.
“I think it’s recognition that we carried out together. We spared no effort. We navigated the most troubled waters that our Union has ever faced. And we kept the course on our long-term European goals,” she said.
Asked if she intends to work with the parties who voted for her, Von der Leyen said: “Yes. I will work as intensively and as good as possible with those who supported me. Indeed, it was the pro-European, pro-Ukraine, pro-Rule-of-Law [parties].”
5 more years.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) July 18, 2024
I can’t begin to express how grateful I am for the trust of all MEPs that voted for me. pic.twitter.com/d9n3yfIVtS
She added that over the next month she will be contacting member states’ Governments so that she can put together her team of Commissioners. Von der Leyen confirmed that she will, again, be asking each Government for a male and female nominee.
This could cause an issue between Ireland and the President, as Fianna Fáil have only chosen Michael McGrath. The party leader, Tánaiste Micheál Martin is against the idea and believes it goes against the treaties of the EU.
Fine Gael were the only group of Irish MEPs to confirm to The Journal that they had voted in favour of the former German defence minister.
Seán Kelly was also among those to congratulate von der Leyen and said she has “been a steady hand in an unsteady time”. He added that von der Leyen has “set out a positive vision for the next five years”.
Earlier von der Leyen told MEPs that today’s vote could will shape the Union’s work for the next five years or define their place on the global stage for the next fifty.
The European Parliament has confirmed Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as President of the European Commission.
— European Parliament (@Europarl_EN) July 18, 2024
She will have a further five years to steer legislation at the helm of the EU’s main executive body. pic.twitter.com/5kDGd8Sppq
Moments before the vote began in Strasbourg, France, Euronews reported that the Green grouping had confirmed they were planning to vote in favour of the candidate. This all but solidified her election – which had been in the balance over the last number of days.
At the press conference she said she was “very grateful” for the Green group’s support. “We had intense exchanges on all [types] of topics. In the end, obviously it’s a good sign, they were convinced to support me,” she said.
Fianna Fáil’s group, Renew, also confirmed they would support von der Leyen, but the Irish delegates publicly stated that they would not be supporting her over her actions since the 7 October attacks in Israel.
It is understood that, despite the fact that von der Leyen – for the first time publicly – called for a two-state solution and ceasefire between Palestine and Israel, it was not enough to change the minds of the Fianna Fáil MEPs.
Independent Michael McNamara, who is also a member of Renew, has not yet said what way he voted. He told The Journal before the election, and before he joined Renew, that he would not be voting for her.
Independent Ireland’s Ciaran Mullooly confirmed on X, formerly Twitter, that he did not vote for the candidate.
Mullooly today said he had met with von der Leyen in her office last night and “stressed the profound horror felt by my constituency over the deaths of innocent men, women, and children in Gaza”.
He added that he “emphasised that an urgent initiative was needed from her to convey to the Israeli authorities that the violence and bloodshed must stop”.
While Mullooly welcomed von der Leyen calling for a ceasefire, he remarked that von der Leyen “propose any tangible measures to help stop the appalling violence, death, and destruction in Gaza” and therefore he was “unable to support her candidacy”.
Sinn Féin’s Lynn Boylan, who earlier claimed that a vote for von der Leyen was a vote for “genocide”, posted a photo of her ballot, which is held in secret, proving that she had voted against von der Leyen.
Boylan said her Sinn Féin colleague Kathleen Funchion also voted against von der Leyen.
“Say No to genocide and say No to Von Der Leyen,” said Boylan in a statement prior to this afternoon’s vote.
Independent Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan and the Labour Party MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin also posted images of their ballot to X, formerly Twitter.
Ming Flanagan called on Fianna Fáil MEPs to do the same.
For the record. pic.twitter.com/qoD4mQTsrA
— Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (@AodhanORiordain) July 18, 2024
Von der Leyen laid out some of her plans for her second term to MEPs earlier today in Strasbourg, with a specific mention given to improving investment opportunities in the EU, strengthening the single market and tackling rising costs for citizens.
Von der Leyen also said she would plan to build and develop a European air defence system, triple the number of European border patrol agents, dedicate a commissioner to the Mediterranean region – which sees the largest number of people seeking asylum in Europe die on their journey – and double the number of staff in Europol.
The German politician also hopes to appoint a housing commissioner, to tackle the rising costs associated with renting and purchasing a home in the EU – a point which was made on Tuesday by President of the Parliament Roberta Metsola.
Includes reporting by Diarmuid Pepper
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