Von der Leyen secures second term as EU commission president
The European Parliament has confirmed Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as President of the European Commission.
She will have a further five years to steer legislation at the helm of the EU’s main executive body.
This morning, von der Leyen took the floor in the European Parliament’s plenary session where she outlined her vision and plans as Commission President, which was then followed by a debate with members of the European Parliament (MEPs) .
The vote by secret paper ballot then took place at 1:00p.m following the debate.
The European Parliament elects the President of the Commission by a majority of its component MEPs in a parliament of 720 members.
With a required majority of 360, von der Leyen secured her second term with 401 votes.
At the plenary session this morning, the German politician vowed to “make sure that farmers receive a fair income” if she was re-elected as president of the European Commission.
In her address to MEPs, von der Leyen said that the future of agriculture is “an important and sensitive issue for us in Europe”.
“We must overcome differences and develop good solutions together with all stakeholders."
Earlier this year, against the backdrop of farmer protests across Europe, von der Leyen launched the “Strategic Dialogue on the Future of Agriculture in Europe”.
The forum includes farmers, environmental groups and experts from across the agri-food chain.
“I have promised to listen to them carefully and to learn from them. And I shall do so.
“I will take on board good recommendations and present a new European strategy for our agriculture and the food sector,” she said.
“I will make sure that farmers receive a fair income. No one should be forced to sell good food below production costs.
“We must strengthen the position of our farmers in the food industry value chain. And we need smarter incentives and more innovation and access to capital.
“Anyone who manages nature and biodiversity in a sustainable way and helps to balance the carbon budget must be properly rewarded,” she added.
As part of a lengthy address, Von der Leyen told the EU Parliament that farmers shape our landscapes, are part of our culture and provide food security.
“That is why we must work together to tackle the problems bearing down on them. They feel climate change. Every year they are more and more affected by extreme weather and water scarcity.
“Temperatures in Europe are rising twice as fast as the global average. We are already seeing the devastating effects on fields and in forests.
“The face of our rural communities is changing. We must do more to ensure that our farmers are better prepared for what climate change holds in store for us.
“That is why I will present a plan for agriculture to address the need to adapt to climate change and, in parallel, a strategy for sustainable management of the precious resource of water. Not only our food security depends on it, but also our overall competitiveness,” she told MEPs.
Earlier this month, an Irish MEP stated that the next European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development will be selected from the European People’s Party (EPP), should Ursula von der Leyen retain her position as the president of the European Commission.
Ireland South MEP Sean Kelly said that during an EPP meeting today on July 9 that von der Leyen, if elected as president, said she “will appoint an agriculture commissioner from EPP”.
Janusz Wojciechowski is the current agriculture commissioner, who took over the role in 2019 from Phil Hogan of Fine Gael.
