Ursula von der Leyen won a second five-year term at the helm of the European Commission, the European Union’s powerful executive body. She was confirmed with the backing of 401 votes in the European Parliament  – well over the 360-vote majority she needed. But her re-election wouldn’t have been possible without support from outside her own 188-strong conservative Group of the European People’s Party (EPP), the biggest political group in the Parliament. She had to win the backing of what the Financial Times described as a “coalition of compromise”, revolved around a centrist coalition with the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and the liberal Renew Europe groups. She also managed to secure the backing of the Greens.

In her speech outlining her political priorities in Strasbourg ahead of the vote, the former German Defence Minister made sure to be extra careful to appeal to the widest range possible of MEPs while irking as few of them as possible. She was aware that, even if a political group officially gives its members a positive voting indication, defections cannot be ruled out in a vote by secret paper ballot and those “lost” votes have to be compensated by others from somewhere else.

The Socialists’ “conditional support”

After analysing the proposals made to them by von der Leyen ahead of the Thursday’s election, the S&D Group – to which the three MEPs elected on behalf of the Maltese Labour Party belong – decided to direct its members to vote in her favour. Yet, the Group’s leader, Spanish Iratxe García Pérez, made clear that this support is not a “blank cheque” and comes with conditions.

Addressing von der Leyen in the European Parliament plenary before the vote, García Pérez asked for a strong and real commitment to the Green Deal and just transition, a solid European social dimension, and progress in equality and women’s rights.

“Our support is conditional on the obligation to offer a project for Europe that ends inequalities and guarantees equal opportunities,” she said. “Social democrats demand a greater commitment to the Green Deal and just transition. Our Union must be placed at the forefront of the fight against climate change, and Europe should become the first continent to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.” She voiced the S&D’s vision of a European Union that innovates, competes, and grows while restoring dignity to workers with new rights and strengthening public services.

García Pérez went on to highlight specific demands that her Group is demanding from the new European Commission boss: “Quality internships, minimum living incomes, the right to disconnect, telework, an anti-poverty strategy, and an investment in housing of at least €50 billion a year. A Commissioner responsible for housing is essential, because access to housing is a vital need of our citizens … A strong budget beyond the current 1% and more investment capacity are needed to face the challenges ahead of us and to deliver. A wealth tax and a permanent budget capacity – inspired by the Next Generation EU – to tackle the €800 billion a year are needed to make the energy transition, the digital transformation, and the Defence Union a reality. We also want more engagement in equality and women’s rights. A European Charter of Women’s Rights, the revision of pay transparency to include all companies regardless of their size, and the incorporation of gender-based violence into the European Union’s list of crimes are priorities for us … A Union that exports its model of peace that will confiscate the €200 billion of Russian public assets frozen to defend Ukraine, and that will lead to an international peace conference to bring about the birth of a Palestinian state. And, above all, an unwavering commitment not to cooperate with the extreme right. Social democracy is the indispensable force to ensure effective governance for the next five years.”

Main photo: Getty