Von der Leyen seeks EU lawmakers’ support to become new Commission head

FAN Editor
FILE PHOTO: German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, who has been nominated as European Commission President, attends a news conference during a visit at the European Parliament in Strasbourg
FILE PHOTO: German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, who has been nominated as European Commission President, attends a news conference during a visit at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, July 3, 2019. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler/File Photo

July 10, 2019

By Gabriela Baczynska

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Ursula von der Leyen made her pitch to European lawmakers on Wednesday to be the next head of the EU executive, promising to focus on promoting the rule of law, competitiveness, digitalization and the fight against climate change.

“The EU is based on principles,” the German conservative politician told a meeting with liberal lawmakers Renew Europe in her first public policy comments since the bloc’s national leaders nominated her last week to head the European Commission.

“This is the foundation – respect for the rule of law,” she said, according to an official translation. “The EU is competitiveness.”

Von der Leyen added that she wholeheartedly supported the EU going carbon neutral by 2050 and that the bloc should seek to harvest the economic benefits of transitioning to environmentally-friendly policies.

The conservative politician also said the EU needed to advance single market reforms, invest in joint defense capacities and “become more assertive” in its stance vis-à-vis the United States.

The European Parliament is due to vote on her candidacy next week. Von der Leyen needs the backing of an absolute majority of 376 votes in the 751-strong chamber to get confirmed.

(Additional reporting by Francesco Guarascio, Writing by Gabriela Baczynska, Editing by Gareth Jones)

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