Von der Leyen aims for a second term as President Trump’s dirty little secret of the European Commission: the US can do it alone

Now it’s official: Ursula von der Leyen is aiming for a second term as President of the European Commission – and has the unanimous support of Germany’s Christian Democrats.

Democracy and values ​​in Europe “We must continue to defend ourselves against divisions from within and without,” the CDU politician announced on Monday in Berlin during a joint appearance with CDU leader Friedrich Merz as the main target. ‘We have to make our center strong. I firmly believe that this will work, that we have the power to do it. And that is the task. And I want to keep working on that.”

The CDU board unanimously nominated Von der Leyen (65) as the top candidate of the Christian Democratic party family EVP. Support also came from the Bavarian sister party CSU. Von der Leyen is “as Commission President the natural top candidate for the Union in the European elections,” CSU boss Markus Söder wrote on the short message service X (formerly Twitter) on Monday. Von der Leyen will “form a strong duo” with CSU vice president and EVP leader Manfred Weber.

“Forbes”: Von der Leyen is the most powerful woman in the world

Von der Leyen said the most important issues in the campaign for the European elections in early June were “democracy, the rule of law that we defend and the peace we have together.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin, the AfD and other extreme forces “are standing in the way of democracy in Europe. They want to destroy them, they want to destroy Europe.” People must help “ensure that their Europe is preserved” and remains a safe place in the future. That is why it is so important to “go to the polls and vote for the center.” strengthen.” During the election campaign, she promised to make a strict distinction between her roles in the EU and the CDU: a Commission president must be “absolutely color blind”.

Von der Leyen for European Commissioner for Defense

Regarding her main focus, Von der Leyen said that competitiveness must be tailored to the new conditions and “climate objectives must be achieved with the economy”. At the same time, the possibilities offered by artificial intelligence must be exploited “just as we must combine them with the principles of the social market economy”. We also need to make progress in the field of digitalization.

Von der Leyen also supports the idea of ​​appointing a European defense commissioner. If she remained president of the Commission, she would appoint a defense commissioner, the German politician said on Saturday at the Munich Security Conference.

Merz announced that he would be closely involved in the European election campaign. He was “completely influenced” by his time as a young Member of the European Parliament – ​​​​Merz was a Member of the European Parliament from 1989 to 1994. Today we are dealing with “anti-European populism (…) from the left and the right, which we must really strongly oppose.”

The Union parliamentary group leader assured: “I see the problems in Europe that are partly our own doing.” But he sees much more strongly the great opportunities that Europe offers for Germany. “And all those who want to play it down, who now even question Europe,” the CDU will oppose en masse.

Ahead of the state elections in September and the federal elections in 2025, Merz stressed that he “completely rules out the possibility that we will even consider working with a right-wing populist, right-wing extremist party like the AfD. or even form a government.”

Merz wants to campaign for Von der Leyen at the EPP congress

The election of the EPP candidate for the top position will take place at a party congress on March 7. It is certain that Von der Leyen will receive the necessary majority of votes there. Merz announced that he would personally campaign for the most unanimous support possible for Von der Leyen.

No opposing candidates have been announced yet. In addition to the German CDU and CSU, the European EPP party family includes the Austrian ÖVP, the Italian Forza Italia and the Spanish conservative People’s Party PP.

The position of President of the European Commission must be filled after the European elections. As a rule, a candidate from the European party family who performs best in the European elections is appointed. Surveys show that the European People’s Party (EPP) is clearly in the lead. There is therefore a good chance that Von der Leyen can remain president.

SPD top candidate Barley: Staging incredible

The Social Democratic top candidate for the European elections, Katarina Barley, told the DPA: “The Union has no compass in Europe at all.” After Merz von der Leyen continuously criticized her government, the joint production was incredible. While the Union in Germany excludes any cooperation with the AfD, “in the European Parliament they keep open the option to enter into strategic alliances with right-wing populists and extremists” – often against Von der Leyen’s plans, such as their prestigious Green Deal project.

MEPs from the Green Party criticized the fact that Von der Leyen wants a second term as president of the European Commission, but is not standing as a candidate in the European elections. It is irritating that it is nowhere to be found on the ballot paper, said Rasmus Andresen, spokesman for the German Greens delegation to the European Parliament.

As President of the European Commission, Von der Leyen has been in charge of around 32,000 employees since December 1, 2019, who, among other things, propose new EU laws and monitor compliance with the European Treaties. As an EU representative, she also sits at the table at almost all major international summits such as the G7 or G20.

The American magazine Forbes recently called Von der Leyen the ‘most powerful woman in the world’. Von der Leyen’s term in office has so far been mainly characterized by the Corona crisis and the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.

Before moving to Brussels, Von der Leyen served as Minister of Defense under then Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU). The mother of seven children has a doctorate in medicine and was also Minister of Family Affairs, Minister of Labor and Minister of Social Affairs in the state of Lower Saxony.

Von der Leyen was born in Brussels in 1958; her father, the future Prime Minister of Lower Saxony Ernst Albrecht, worked for the EU at the time. The daughter went to the European school and therefore she speaks French and English well. (sda/dpa)