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Ursula von der Leyen announced on Monday that she will seek a second term as head of the European Commission, vowing to defend the bloc from forces seeking to divide it.
The candidacy of the 65-year-old former German minister comes at a time when the bloc is grappling with the growing influence of the hard-line right, Russia's war against Ukraine and the possibility of former US President Donald Trump returning to the White House. something that is causing concern among allies.
" We must defend ourselves against divisions from within and without. I'm sure we have the strength to do it, and that's the task I've set myself ," Ms von der Leyen said in Berlin, as she confirmed her candidacy at a meeting of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party.
Ms von der Leyen has led the bloc's executive body since 2019 as the EU has endured an extraordinary period of setbacks - from Brexit to the coronavirus pandemic to Russia's aggression against its pro-EU neighbor Ukraine.
Hendrik Wuest, a key figure in Germany's CDU, said another five years would be much-needed continuity at a time of uncertainty.
" A second term would be a sign of stability, this is even more necessary at a time when our European values are being attacked from all sides ," he told Politico media.
Following his nomination on Monday from the CDU, the broadest alliance of conservatives across the bloc -- the European People's Party (PEPP) group to which the CDU belongs -- is expected to nominate him as its leading candidate for the post when it meets in Bucharest on March 6 and 7, says PEPP leader Manfred Weber.
Ms Von der Leyen, who was a close ally of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, has served as a minister in all four of her cabinets and is the first woman to head the European Commission.
A second term for her is likely to find the Commission with a changed political landscape.
Voter polls suggest far-right and anti-immigration parties across Europe will win more seats in European Parliament elections June 6-9, pushing the legislature further to the right.
That could slow progress on the European Union's green transition that Ms von der Leyen had made a cornerstone of her first term. The pool of European lawmakers backing Mr Trump could also grow if he regains the White House.
- Deployed in support of Ukraine –
EU lawmaker Daniel Caspary of the CDU said he expects her priorities to shift, with more concessions for European farmers, although her support for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia is likely to continue.
Underscoring the crucial importance of standing firm after Kiev, Ms von der Leyen told the Munich Security Conference at the weekend that it was much more than just a Russia-Ukraine issue.
" The question that arises is whether democracies will triumph on a global scale and whether we are able to protect and preserve our values. The answer must be yes ", she emphasized.
Alluding to a possible return by Mr Trump, who has shocked NATO allies by threatening not to defend those who fail to meet their defense spending commitments, Ms von der Leyen also stressed the importance of a "Strong Europe".
" The bloc must increase its defense resources by increasing spending on military defense products and ensuring that production takes place in Europe so that billions in taxpayer funds are channeled to companies that are creating jobs on the continent ," she said. .
Ms Von der Leyen also laid out plans to "appoint a defense commissioner" if she wins a new term.
" Where he or she comes from -- it's an open question, but of course I think it's very important that the countries of Central and Eastern Europe get a weighty portfolio, and this is a weighty portfolio ," she said./ VOA
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