Ursula von der Leyen’s Quest for Approval in the European Parliament: A Tale of a Narrow Margin and a Crucial Green Vote.
Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, has received approval from the European Council despite opposition from prime ministers Georgia Meloni and Viktor Orban. However, she now faces a difficult task of securing approval from the European Parliament. The vote is scheduled for July 18 during the first plenary session of this legislature in Strasbourg.
Von der Leyen’s quest for approval begins with a ‘platform’ consisting of populars, socialists, and liberals, with a total of 399 out of 720 votes. She needs an absolute majority of 361 votes to secure her position. The margin of 38 votes is narrow, and there is a possibility of up to 50 votes being undecided or changing.
To secure her support, von der Leyen is actively engaging with various political groups and individual parliamentarians. She aims to build a broad majority for a strong Europe by discussing her priorities and gaining their backing. The Greens, with 53 seats, are a key player, and their support could be crucial for von der Leyen’s success.
If von der Leyen does not secure the necessary votes, it would lead to an unprecedented institutional crisis. Her candidacy would lapse, requiring the leaders of the European Council to reconvene and propose another candidate. The outcome of the vote on July 18 will determine the future leadership of the European Commission and the direction of the European Union.
In summary, Ursula von der Leyen must secure approval from the European Parliament to become President of the European Commission despite opposition from some prime ministers. She is actively engaging with political groups and individual parliamentarians to build a broad majority for a strong Europe. If she does not receive enough support, it could lead to an unprecedented institutional crisis that would require reconvening the leaders of the European Council to propose another candidate for president.
