Von der Leyen gains support for second term as European Commission president from German party

Ursula von der Leyen, the current President of the European Commission, has secured the backing of her German centre-right party for a second term. This endorsement positions her strongly to continue leading the European Union's executive body for another five years.

The decision came during a meeting of the party leadership, where Germany's opposition Christian Democrats expressed their support for von der Leyen to be their candidate for Commission president. This announcement confirms widespread assumptions that von der Leyen would seek reelection.

Von der Leyen, a 65-year-old former German defence minister, is now poised to become the candidate of the pan-European centre-right umbrella group, the European People's Party (EPP), at an upcoming congress in Bucharest scheduled for March. Speaking at a news conference following the party meeting in Berlin, von der Leyen expressed gratitude for her nomination and declared her intention to run for a second term.

As the first woman to hold the position, von der Leyen has navigated the EU through several significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit, and the aftermath of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Her potential second term comes at a crucial juncture for Europe, with a renewed focus on strengthening security amid Russia's actions and the potential return of former U.S. President Donald Trump to the White House.

During a security conference in Munich over the weekend, von der Leyen outlined the Commission's forthcoming defense strategy proposal, aimed at bolstering security through increased and more efficient spending, joint procurement initiatives, and agreements to provide stability to the defense industry.