European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen has been nominated for another presidential term by the European People’s Party (EPP) after the incumbent amassed a majority of more than 80 percent of votes cast at the party’s congress in Bucharest on Thursday.
In her program speech, the German politician promised prosperity, security, and democracy and said that Europe would support Ukraine with “more financial and military aid” for as long as necessary. She also said that Ukraine should spend more on its own security and that a defense commissioner should be created in the European Commission.
The commission president, who is running for another term, promised to continue strengthening the external borders, saying that it is now Europeans, not people smugglers and criminal networks, who decide who can enter Europe and under what conditions.
Orbán opposes a second term for von der Leyen
Asked by the Hungarian press what Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s position is regarding a second term for von der Leyen, his press secretary, Bertalan Havasi, told national news agency MTI, “The prime minister’s position is that the past five years have been the worst period of failure for the European Union.”
He added that, according to Orbán, “those leaders who have led the EU during this period must be removed.”
