European Union leaders have endorsed Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as president of the European Commission, despite objections from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who criticized the nomination process.
Estonia's Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, is poised to become the EU's top diplomat, representing the bloc globally for the next five years. Former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa has been elected as the new president of the European Council, tasked with mediating between the 27 heads of state and government.
Italy's Forza Italia, part of the right-wing coalition, announced support for von der Leyen. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated that Forza Italia will vote for von der Leyen and Roberta Metsola for European Parliament President, aligning with the European People's Party (EPP). This decision contrasts with Prime Minister Meloni's choice to abstain from supporting von der Leyen.
At the conclusion of an EU summit focused on Europe’s future and security, Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk expressed satisfaction with the appointments of Kallas, von der Leyen, and Costa. Meloni, however, voted against the appointments of Kallas and Costa and abstained on von der Leyen.
Von der Leyen's second term is not guaranteed; she must gain the support of a majority of the European Parliament’s 720 members in an upcoming vote. Kallas also needs confirmation from the Commission president and will appear before MEPs in the autumn, though they cannot reject her.
Von der Leyen, who became the first woman to lead the EU executive in 2019, narrowly secured MEP support initially. Despite backing from groups holding a 55% majority, some members may oppose her in the secret vote. She plans to work hard to gain broader support by engaging with national delegations and individual MEPs.
EU leaders commend von der Leyen for her management of the EU’s response to the pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine. Her leadership position was further solidified after the EPP's success in recent European Parliament elections. A recent agreement among the EPP, Socialists, and Renew group cleared another hurdle for her second term.
Prime Minister Meloni has vehemently opposed the agreement, criticizing both its method and substance. She continues to advocate for Italy’s greater influence in the EU and accused decision-makers of acting like oligarchs. Efforts to reconcile with Meloni included assurances of respect from leaders like Donald Tusk and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who emphasized the importance of Italy in European decision-making.
During the summit, leaders also met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who called for increased military support against Russia's recent offensive in the Kharkiv region, stressing the need for continued pressure on the invaders.
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