No opposing candidate

EU election: Von der Leyen is EPP lead candidate

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is seeking another term in office.(Bild: APA/AFP/Daniel MIHAILESCU)

With a clear majority, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was chosen as the lead candidate of her European People's Party on Thursday. However, no opposing candidate stood.

The former German Defense Minister, who is seeking another term as Commission President, received 400 of the 499 votes cast. 89 of the delegates voted against von der Leyen, ten others cast invalid ballots. Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) declared his support for her election at the party congress in Bucharest: she was a "good and suitable candidate".

Von der Leyen: "Populists want to destroy our Europe"
In von der Leyen, the EPP has a very experienced candidate who has learned many lessons from her work as Commission President since December 2019. "As President of the Commission, she was also always my point of contact as Federal Chancellor when things were a little more robust in terms of differences of opinion on how the Commission acted." He cited examples of major issues such as migration or the question of transit, where the Transport Commissioner had not accommodated Austria.

"Our Europe is being challenged by populists and demagogues like never before," explained von der Leyen in her speech to the delegates before her election. "They want to destroy our Europe. We, the EPP, will never allow that to happen", declared the German CDU politician. There was a lot at stake in the European elections. This is the "signal from Bucharest: the EPP stands for Europe, for Ukraine, for the rule of law." She cited asylum and migration as major challenges: "We Europeans decide who comes to Europe, not the organized people smugglers." 

EPP leader: "You will be a strong lead candidate"
The EPP under the leadership of Ursula von der Leyen has solved many problems in recent years, emphasized EPP Chairman Manfred Weber. He cited the Green Deal as an example. "The EPP will be in good hands with Ursula." He thanked the Commission President for her leadership: "You will be a strong lead candidate."