Today Ursula von der Leyen goes to the count in Strasbourg with a fateful number in her head: 401. These are the votes with which she was re-elected president of the European Commission on 18 July last, by secret ballot. Its new college of commissioners will be voted on in plenary, by simple majority and by open vote. However, the European political landscape has undergone significant changes in recent months. One of the most important was the openness towards the ECR group, the European Conservatives and Reformists, of which Fratelli d’Italia is part, which will vote in its support since Fitto is both commissioner of the Pnrr and vice-president.
The president of the EU Commission has confidence and manages to include greens, socialists, liberals, EPP and ECR in her new majority. The Socialists are clear in declaring that the majority includes the Greens but not ECR. The Greens feel included in the coalition, but only partially. The EPP, then, through its group leader Manfred Weber, speaks of a European majority that goes “from the Greens to the ECR”, specifying that the pro-European front includes only a part of the ECR, or Brothers of Italy. In reality, Giorgia Meloni’s party will give its vote to today’s package, reserving the right to give its support in the future depending on the measures that will be launched by the new Commission.
Von der Leyen’s other strategic move concerns the greens: he has in fact appointed former group leader Philippe Lamberts as special advisor on climate. At that point, half of the Green group, around twenty MEPs led by the German and Dutch delegations, chose to support the new Commission. The Italian, Belgian and French delegations instead opt for no. Difficult situation even among socialists. The group, led by the Spanish Iratxe García Pérez, decided to support the new Commission, taking a step back from the no to Raffaele Fitto, who many of them had described as an “exponent of a post-fascist force”. The Italian and Spanish delegations lead the yes front for von der Leyen, while the Germans, French and Belgians are divided between abstentions and votes against.
In Italy, meanwhile, the Democratic Party’s protests over the nomination of Raffaele Fitto as executive vice president have dissolved into a soap bubble. “Italians understand that having an executive vice president of the European Commission, a role never held before by Italy, with strategic delegations, is a great opportunity and reflects Italy’s role in Europe”, said Giorgia Meloni. According to breaking news reported by Ansa, however, the German SPD has decided to abstain. “For the first time in the history of EU institutions, a representative of a post-fascist party is about to obtain a leadership position. This was only possible because the President of the Commission proposed Raffaele Fitto to the prominent position of Vice President of the Commission, even if the family of his party, i.e. Ecr, did not vote for his nomination”, wrote the SPD delegation to the European Chamber, MEP Rene Repasi, in a note.
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What are some of the potential challenges Ursula von der Leyen might face in her second term as President of the European Commission?
## Interview with Political Analyst on Ursula von der Leyen’s Re-election
**Host:** Welcome back to the show. Today, we’re discussing the recent re-election of Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission. Joining us is Dr. [Guest Name], a prominent political analyst specializing in European affairs.
Dr. [Guest Name], thank you for being here.
**Guest:** Thank you for having me.
**Host:** Let’s get right to it. Ursula von der Leyen secured her re-election with a solid majority of 401 votes [[1](https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20240710IPR22812/parliament-re-elects-ursula-von-der-leyen-as-commission-president)]. What do you see as the key factors contributing to this success?
**Guest:** Several factors were at play. Firstly, von der Leyen benefited from a climate of relative political stability within the European Parliament.
Although the political landscape has shifted somewhat lately, with the rise of the ECR group, her past experience as president and her ability to build consensus across different factions allowed her to maintain a broad coalition of support. Secondly, her performance during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukrainian crisis likely bolstered her image as a capable leader.
**Host:** There’s been some discussion about the role of the ECR group, which includes Fratelli d’Italia, in von der Leyen’s re-election. [Provide context from the provided text about ECR’s involvement]. Can you elaborate on the significance of this development?
**Guest:** The ECR’s backing is indeed noteworthy. It signifies a shift towards inclusion and pragmatism within European politics, at least on the part of Fratelli d’Italia. While the group’s inclusion within von der Leyen’s majority has raised eyebrows among some socialists and greens, it reflects a broader trend of centrisation in European politics.
**Host:** What challenges might von der Leyen face in her second term as President?
**Guest:** The challenges are manifold. She’ll need to manage the expectations of diverse political groups within her coalition while simultaneously addressing pressing issues such as climate change, economic instability and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Maintaining unity within the EU while navigating these complex challenges will undoubtedly be a significant test for President von der Leyen.
**Host:** Thank you for your insights, Dr. [Guest Name]. It seems Ursula von der Leyen is entering a second term with a complex and intriguing political landscape ahead.
**Guest:**
My pleasure. It will be interesting to see how things unfold.