The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has obtained the support of a sufficient majority of MEPs to continue another five years at the head of the Community Executive in a secret vote held this Thursday at midday after the presentation and subsequent debate of his political priorities for the next legislature.

Von der Leyen needed to add at least 361 of the total of 720 seats that make up the hemicycle to obtain revalidation, a figure that has managed to exceed by obtaining the support of the majority of members of the European Parliament, a total of 401 votes out of 707 cast.

Thus, the head of the Community Executive has managed to repeat the coalition made up of ‘popular’, socialists and liberals that already supported her candidacy in 2019, which together add up to 401 seats, In addition to winning the support of the Greenswho at the last minute decided to vote for Von der Leyen despite toning down their environmental demands in order to cushion the influence of the extreme right in community policies.

In 2019when the majority was 374 MEPs, Von der Leyen garnered a approved very narrowly with 383 votes in favor327 against and 22 abstentions.

Minutes before the vote, the far-right Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, led by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy, confirmed that a majority of its members would vote against Von der Leyen, although it left the way open to those delegations that wanted to support her.

For its part, the Patriots for Europe group, led by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and the Left have maintained their commitment to reject the re-election of the German as head of the Community Executive.