Von der Leyen won 383 votes in a secret ballot, just slightly above the absolute majority of 374 she required to be elected — and far short of the 422 votes cast in favor of current Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in 2014. In an interview for Portuguese media, Von der Leyen was asked regarding the proposal of […] A liberal in conservative clothing or a pious authoritarian matriarch? Von der Leyen had attended the summit of EU heads of state and government on Thursday and Friday. And another thing I have kept: the realisation that different cultures can get on together very well.”. Von der Leyen, from the center-right European People’s Party, served most recently as German defense minister and is a close ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel. Von der Leyen adopted the pseudonym Rose Ladson – a combination of her family nickname and the surname of her American great-grandmother – and enrolled at the London School of Economics. Download now. “You especially saw that in her bitter and protracted battle to modernise her party’s view on the role of the family.”. “The trust you placed in me is confidence you placed in Europe. Log in to access content and manage your profile. She attended the European School in Uccle, graduating two years before a certain Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson joined the same establishment. The nicknames Ursula von der Leyen has acquired over the course of her 29-year career in German politics tell their own story about the new president of the European commission. Turkish President Erdogan HUMILIATES EU chief Ursula von der Leyen ****News Topic 360***** EU-Turkey Relations: Erdogan Left Europe Commission President Speechless After Humiliating Snub. “No details, please. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen says she has placed herself in isolation after being in contact with a person infected with coronavirus. STRASBOURG,— Germany’s Ursula von der Leyen secured European parliamentary approval on Tuesday to become the first female European Commission president on a platform of a greener, fairer and rule-based Europe.. EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen self-isolating. News. This article was amended on 17 July 2019. Out of 733 MEPs, 383 voted in favour of Von der Leyen, helping her to secure the 374 votes -- an absolute majority among the EU assembly members. When she diagnosed the troops with an “attitude problem” after the emergence of stories about rightwing extremist activities and hazing of new recruits, she was accused – and not only by members of the Bundeswehr – of choosing a good write-up over loyalty to her staff. The Greens group, as well as right-wing and left-wing parties, had previously announced their intention to vote against von der Leyen, and the result suggested they had generally followed through on that pledge. An earlier version said Ursula von der Leyen is not afraid to raise heckles, rather than hackles. PI Member. Your confidence in a united and a strong Europe from east to west, from south to north. Ursula von der Leyen: EU commission president cleared in ‘contract scandal’ The German politician has admitted ‘mistakes’ were made by her officials Von der Leyen was tested on Thursday with negative results, but had herself tested again on Monday. The day after Turkey’s President Erdogan arrested ten admirals on fears of new coup rumblings … EU Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen. “These were definitely the most intense two weeks of my political life.”. We were too optimistic about mass production. In a sign of how thin and fragile her mandate appeared, she also immediately faced questions about the possibility that her majority, which included the support of some British MEPs, would effectively evaporate in the event that the U.K. completes its departure from the EU. May 7, 2018 5,284 7,998. EU-Turkey Relations: Erdogan Left Europe Commission President Speechless After Humiliating Snub. From ‘closet feminist’ to bossy career woman, detractors paint conflicting pictures of German politician, Last modified on Wed 17 Jul 2019 16.56 BST. Von Der Leyen Elected As First Female EU Commission President. EU top jobs explained: who is coming in and what is their role? If Von der Leyen’s approval ratings have recently plummeted, making her the least popular minister in Merkel’s cabinet, it is because her handling of Germany’s notoriously under-funded military at times displayed those same deficiencies. We have come out of our elections with the strength of citizens who want more Europe.”. As state premier of Lower Saxony, her father, Ernst Albrecht, became a leading figure of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and a bete noire for the burgeoning Green movement, with whom he clashed over the opening of a nuclear waste depository. Ursula von der Leyen baking cookies with her seven children in 2003. “If she has a weakness, it is her tendency to excessive stage management,” said Goffart. Germany's Ursula von der Leyen has been narrowly elected president of the EU Commission following a secret ballot among MEPs. The tight margin of von der Leyen’s victory suggested that she may have needed the help of some other parties, including Italy’s populist 5Star Movement, which is not affiliated with any group in the Parliament. It's only a bit … STRASBOURG — The European Parliament on Tuesday elected Ursula von der Leyen as the next president of the European Commission — the first woman to hold the EU’s top executive job. Von der Leyen will also be trailed to Brussels by an investigation, still underway in the German parliament. Today at 4:47 PM #85 jpc. The Spanish and Portuguese delegations, pressed by Prime Ministers Pedro Sánchez and António Costa, said they would vote in favor. Officials Announce 631 New Coronavirus Cases And 47 Further Deaths. Posted on 2020-10-05. Latest news, analysis and comment from POLITICO’s editors and guest writers on French politics. When she became Germany’s first female defence minister in 2013, her (mostly male) detractors referred to her as Flinten-Uschi (“shotgun Uschi”), a caricature of the bossy career woman. After she joined the CDU in 1990, on the same day her father stepped down from his job as state premier, her inner freedom made its mark on the posts she held, first as a regional and national delegate and then at the family, work and defence ministries. “I lived much more than I studied,” she told the weekly Zeit. Thread starter blue velvet; Start date Jul 2, 2019; Prev . Subscribe to our newsletter . “She has an incredible amount of energy”, said Daniel Goffart, a political correspondent for the news magazine Focus who co-wrote her biography in 2015. Go. Most … Contact us . This gave me an inner freedom that I have kept until today. President von der Leyen was appointed by national leaders and elected by the European Parliament after she presented her Political Guidelines. She also reiterated some of her policy goals, including in combating climate change. However, the S&D group was sharply divided over whether to back von der Leyen, with the French,  German, Austrian, Belgian, Dutch, and Greek delegations all saying in an internal group meeting that they would vote against her, according to a party official. Ursula von der Leyen of Germany won confirmation as the next president of the European Commission, becoming the first woman set to assume Europe’s most powerful policy-making post. Sassoli, for his part, said: “There’s a lot of hope here. By logging in, you confirm acceptance of our POLITICO Privacy Policy. New European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasised the importance of a stronger Europe as she was sworn into office on Sunday. For me, coming from the rather monotonous, white Germany, that was fascinating. Married since 1986 to a physician, Heiko, and mother to seven children, Von der Leyen has juggled a prolific career with family life – at the cost of popularity within her own party, some say. Some EU officials said failing to cross the politically significant threshold of 400 votes signaled that von der Leyen would face an extremely difficult task governing in partnership with a Parliament that is more diverse and divided than at any other point in the EU’s modern history. Click to expand... And a fine record of same! Your confidence in a Europe that is ready to fight for the future rather than fighting against each other. Latest news, analysis and comment from POLITICO’s editors and guest writers in Europe. Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen, the centre-right German defence minister, became the first woman to hold the presidency of the EU Commission following a secret vote among MEPs on July 17. She smiled, raised an eyebrow and put her hand back on her chest and held it there, as applause erupted in the hemicycle. “I want to move Europe forward in the next five years to a climate-friendly Europe, a climate-friendly Continent, a Europe that serves people,” she said. The President of the European Union Commission Ursula von der Leyen supports the idea of a common vaccination certificate, which can be established by the EU, and issued by the Member States to every person who gets vaccinated against COVID-19. Go. The President represents the Commission in European Council meetings, G7 and G20 summits, summits with non-EU countries and major debates in the European Parliament and the Council. “We were late in granting authorisation. Latest news, analysis and comment on security in Europe and beyond. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has admitted a country on its own - such as the UK - can act as a "speedboat" compared to the EU's "tanker" in the delivery of COVID vaccines. News. Ursula von der Leyen has been picked to replace Jean-Claude Juncker as president of the EU Commission when he steps down on November 1. 1 … Go to page. In-depth reporting, data and actionable intelligence for policy professionals – all in one place. Share × × × × BECOME A MEMBER OF IRU | Find out more . One of seven children, she was raised in a Christian household that adhered to the traditional model of the West German nuclear family. Her mother, Heidi, took a supporting role, at times leading a family choir that serenaded its patriarch on German TV shows, and stating: “The best way for me to gain the respect of the public is through the role of motherliness.”. Latest news, analysis and comment from POLITICO’s editors and guest writers on German politics. Johnson And Johnson Vaccine Could Be Approved Today. As Parliament President David Sassoli announced the tally, von der Leyen briefly placed her hand over her heart and exhaled through pursed lips in a demonstrative display of relief. She then applauded briefly herself. But if her father’s career enabled her international upbringing, it also allowed Von der Leyen to step out from his shadow. “For me, London was the epitome of modernity: freedom, the joy of life, trying everything. News. Connect with us . Latest news, analysis and comment on elections in Europe and beyond. Email. A parliamentary committee is investigating the ministry for accusations of nepotism, and Von der Leyen is expected to be invited as a witness in December. Center-right nominee becomes first woman to lead EU. Aside from the divided European Parliament and her narrow margin of victory, von der Leyen will also be trailed to Brussels by an investigation, still underway in the German parliament, over allegations of mismanagement and misspending at the defense ministry during her tenure. Clarke-Connolly said: She is Useless Though. During her time in charge of the family ministry, she was first called Krippen-Ursel (“crèche Ursel”), a conservative closet feminist set on expanding nursery places, and then Zensursula, a control freak who wanted to shield German youth from the dark sides of the internet. Latest news, analysis and comment on defense in Europe and beyond. You might like. Campaigning, lobbying and political influence in the U.K. What’s driving the day in Paris, en français, The weekly digest of the best stories in U.K. politics. At a news conference with Sassoli after leaving the hemicycle, von der Leyen thanked her transition team and said she planned to spend her summer in Brussels preparing for her new job. EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is self-isolating after coming into contact with a person infected with Covid-19. Only this: in 1978 I immersed myself for one year in this seething, international, colourful city. More recently, Von der Leyen grabbed negative headlines over the accusation that her defence ministry had allocated over-inflated contracts worth hundreds of millions of euros to external consultants. Instead of attending CDU summer fetes in rural Lower Saxony, said her biographer Goffart, she preferred to spend weekends at the family home in Beinhorn near Hanover when her children were still young. Your confidence in a Europe that will take the big challenges of our times together.”. Ursula Von der Leyen New EU Commission President - who voted for her ? 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