Strasbourg (France): Ursula von der Leyen has pledged to lead Europe through its current crises and polarization as she seeks a second five-year term as president of the European Commission. She made her final appeal in a speech to lawmakers at the European Parliament on Thursday, ahead of a crucial vote on her candidacy. This vote follows significant gains by far-right parties in the recent European Parliament elections.

"I will never let the extreme polarization of our societies become accepted. I will never accept that demagogues and extremists destroy our European way of life. And I stand here today ready to lead the fight with all the Democratic forces in this house," von der Leyen declared.

If a majority of the 720-seat parliament's lawmakers reject her bid, the leaders of the 27-nation bloc will need to quickly find a replacement as Europe deals with issues ranging from the war in Ukraine to climate change.

In her address, von der Leyen emphasized the importance of the upcoming decisions: "Europe's destiny hinges on what we do next."

During her first term, von der Leyen has guided the EU through several major challenges, including Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. She has also been a driving force behind the European Green Deal, which aims to make the EU climate-neutral by 2050.

Von der Leyen's bid for re-election comes as the newly elected U.K. Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, welcomes 45 heads of government to discuss issues such as migration, energy security, and the threat from Russia, in an effort to rebuild relations with European neighbors.

Last month, EU leaders endorsed von der Leyen, a conservative German, during a summit meeting. Her candidacy was strengthened when the European People's Party, which includes von der Leyen's Christian Democratic Union, remained the largest group in the European Parliament following the elections.

However, her re-election is not guaranteed. Some lawmakers from her own center-right European People's Party might vote against her. She needs a simple majority of 361 votes to secure a second term.

Von der Leyen has been praised for her leadership during the coronavirus crisis, particularly for the collective purchase of vaccines for EU citizens. However, she has also faced criticism for the lack of transparency in negotiations with vaccine manufacturers.

Recently, the EU general court ruled that the Commission did not provide sufficient public access to information about the COVID-19 vaccine purchase agreements made during the pandemic.

Following the European Parliament elections, EU leaders have also agreed on key positions within the bloc. Alongside von der Leyen, two new figures will take prominent roles: Antonio Costa of Portugal as European Council president and Estonia's Kaja Kallas as the EU's top diplomat. While Costa's appointment only required approval from the leaders, Kallas will need to be confirmed by European lawmakers later this year. Kallas is known for her strong support of Ukraine and her critical stance on Russia.

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