Support from Greens helps deliver victory by more comfortable margin than had been predicted
Ursula von der Leyen reacts after being elected to a second term as European Commission president yesterday. Photograph: Jean-Francois Badias/APhas been elected for a second term as European Commission president, after securing the backing of a majority of MEPs in a crunch vote.
The Greens group decided to back Ms von der Leyen, in a move that delivered the commission president the necessary majority of MEPs in the vote.Trump shooting suspect: FBI finds few red flags on would-be assassinIn a statement minutes before voting started, the Greens group of 53 MEPs said it had decided to support the commission president for a second term after securing commitments on climate reform, plans to make the EU “more socially fair” and the protection of democracy.
The governing majority in the European Parliament of the centre-right European People’s Party , centrists Renew and the centre-left Socialists & Democrats command about 400 votes together. Fears that some in that number would rebel and vote against the commission president meant the German politician has spent weeks trying to shore up votes from elsewhere.
Ms von der Leyen said she was “very grateful” for the support of the Greens, who she had “intense” negotiations with on policy in the run up to the vote. “Our democracy is under attack from inside and outside, therefore it is crucial that the democratic forces stand together,” she said.
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