“Before the vote, Ursula von der Leyen introduced her team and program”, — write: www.radiosvoboda.org
This will be Ursula von der Leyen’s second term as President of the European Commission after MEPs approved her first composition of the Commission in November 2019.
Before the vote, Ursula von der Leyen presented her team and program, confirming the portfolio changes previously demanded by MEPs.
“We are ready to go to work immediately,” she said.
Von der Leyen announced that the European Commission’s first initiative will be a competitiveness compass designed to overcome Europe’s innovation lag behind the US and China, strengthen security and independence, and ensure decarbonisation.
During the ensuing debate, some MEPs stressed the need for the new European Commission to quickly begin to address the challenges facing Europe. Among other things, the deputies called for the creation of a defense union in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
In total, the collegium traditionally consists of 26 European commissioners, excluding von der Leyen herself. Each country has the right to delegate one representative.
In July, the European Parliament re-elected the current president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, for a second term.