Ursula von der Leyen has been confirmed as president of the European Commission after having prevailed in the vote held this Tuesday in the European Parliament. The ‘popular’ leader, Minister of Defense in Merkel’s government in Germany, is thus confirmed as the successor to Jean-Claude Juncker at the head of the European institution. Von der Leyen’s mandate will begin next autumn, and will be the first woman to lead the European Commission in its six decades of history. Her appointment was approved by 383 in favor, 327 against and 22 abstentions, in a secret vote held in plenary meeting in Strasbourg (France). She needed to add at least 374 MEPs to achieve the absolute majority necessary to win the election and has achieved it with a narrow margin of just nine votes.Von der Leyen was elected two weeks ago by the leaders of the European Union to unblock the negotiations for the distribution of seats key to the European institutions, but he needed the approval of the European Parliament for his appointment to be effective. After winning the support of the Socialists at the last minute, he achieved the number of votes necessary to overcome, albeit by the minimum, the vote. “Confidence in a Europe ready to fight” “The trust they place in me is the trust in a Europe more united and strong, from east to west, from north to south. Confidence in a Europe that is ready to fight for the future, rather than fight against each other, “said Von der Leyen, in a short speech to MEPs after winning the vote.The future President of the Commission has confessed that she is “overwhelmed” by the new task entrusted to her, because it is “a great responsibility”, although she has been determined to work hand in hand with the European Parliament to “achieve a united Europe and strong. “Asked about the narrow margin by which she has been elected, Von der Leyen has tried to downplay this fact during a subsequent press conference, in which she said she understood the” resentment “of the European Parliament, but has celebrated having convinced in just two weeks of work the necessary support to add that majority. “I am moved,” he assured about his appointment, recalling that his father was a European civil servant and aspired to one day occupy a position as commissioner, and later underline that she has “always” worked for Europe during her political career and that for her to chair the Commission will be “like coming home”.
