EU Parliament to decide on second term for Commission chief von der Leyen

Ursula von der Leyen's political fate will be decided on Thursday, when the European Parliament chooses whether to elect or reject her for another five-year term as president of the European Commission, the EU's powerful executive body.

The vote will determine if there is continuity in the European Union's key institution at a time of external and internal challenges - including mounting support for far-right and eurosceptic political parties across the 27-nation bloc.

With no obvious alternative candidate, von der Leyen's supporters have framed the vote as a choice between stability and chaos, as her rejection would create political deadlock.

"It would be seen to be rolling out the carpet for the far-right," said Sean Kelly, an EU lawmaker from von der Leyen's center-right European People's Party group, of the possibility that the parliament rejects her.


Reuters