The re-elected President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, pledges her support to farmers and horticulturalists in the transition to sustainable agriculture. Within 100 days, she will present a vision for the future of European agriculture and food security.
In drawing up the vision, von der Leyen is drawing on the recommendations made during the recent strategic dialogues on agriculture. ‘Building on this, in the first 100 days I will present a vision for agriculture and food, exploring how we can ensure the long-term competitiveness and sustainability of our agricultural sector within the limits of our planet.’
As leader of the European Union, the German politician wants more attention to the consequences of European legislation, such as the Green Deal, for companies that it directly affects.
Von der Leyen was nominated by the heads of government of the European Union. It remained exciting until the vote whether she would get the necessary support. The three centre parties on which she has leaned for the past five years have a total of four hundred seats. This while Von der Leyen needed 360. In those groups there are dissidents who voted once morest. However, the Greens, with more than fifty seats, strengthened the centre coalition.
We must enable farmers to work their land without excessive bureaucracy
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
PVV, SGP and PvdD voted once morest
The European Parliament finally voted on Thursday to reappoint the German President of the European Commission. Of the 719 members present, 401 voted in favor. 284 members of parliament voted once morest, including members of the PVV, SGP and Party for the Animals (PvdD). 22 votes were blank or invalid.
Before the vote, MEPs had the opportunity to consider the assumptions that von der Leyen has drawn up for her second term in office.
In it, she underlines her ambitions. ‘We must enable farmers to work their land without excessive bureaucracy, support family farms and reward farmers who work with nature, preserving our biodiversity and natural ecosystems and helping to decarbonise our economy on the path to climate neutrality by 2050.’
Von der Leyen says she realises that farmers and horticulturists are the vulnerable link in the food chain. ‘Correct existing imbalances, strengthen the position of farmers and further protect them once morest unfair trade practices.
During the European election campaign, von der Leyen’s EPP sought to reach out to far-right parties such as those of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. But the Social Democrats and Liberals were adamantly opposed to cooperation with the right wing, and von der Leyen courted the Greens. Meloni’s MEPs, like the vast majority of the ECR, ultimately voted once morest the reappointment.
The Greens were unwilling to support Von der Leyen five years ago, when she promised ambitious climate plans. Now she wants to put more emphasis on the competitiveness of European businesses. But that has to be done in a green way, according to the compromise.
But the differences of opinion on climate policy between the EPP and the Greens in particular are already immediately apparent. For example, the centre-right group claims that Von der Leyen is backtracking on the upcoming ban on fuel cars.
