Von der Leyen seeks second term as European Commission head

Ursula von der Leyen seeks a second term as head of the European Commission, aiming to strengthen EU defense capabilities and continue leading on climate action

Germany’s Ursula von der Leyen announced that she wants to run for a second term as the head of the European Commission in elections that will take place on June 6-9, 2024.

After guiding the 27-nation bloc through a series of crises over the past five years, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the initial years of Russia’s conflict in Ukraine, von der Leyen has been nominated by her German Christian Democratic Union party. Her candidacy will be confirmed when the party’s European umbrella group convenes in Bucharest early next month.

Reflecting on her initial acceptance of the Commission’s chief role in 2019, which she described as an intuitive decision, von der Leyen now states that her decision to seek a second term is a deliberate and well-considered one.

During her tenure, von der Leyen’s Green Deal initiative positioned the EU as a leader in the global fight against climate change, marking a significant shift in EU policy.

Looking ahead to her next term, she aims to establish a defense commissioner position for the first time, citing Russia’s aggressive stance and a weakening trans-Atlantic relationship as factors highlighting the insufficient defense capabilities of EU member states.

She emphasized that a defense commissioner’s role would involve ensuring “better investment” and enhancing “interoperability” among EU armed forces in the production of weapons systems.

Source: Newsroom

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