German conservative Ursula von der Leyen has been confirmed as President of the European Commission

German curator Ursula von der Leyen became the first woman to chair the European Commission, having gathered at least the majority of the votes in the European Parliament, announced its president David Sbadoli.

The German Defense Minister, elected by European leaders to the presidency of the Commission from November 1 for five years, got 383 votes in favor of MEPs, only nine above the most needed.

"I feel very honored for the trust placed in me, which is the trust placed in Europe," said Von der Leyen after the announcement of the vote result, calling work "constructively".

With 327 votes against and 22 abstentions, the candidate of the European People's Party (EPP, on the right) got fewer votes than the current president of the Commission, the Luxembourgish Jean-Claude Juncker, who obtained 422 in 2014 .

The European Commission is the institution in charge of propose new laws, ensure compliance with rules and even negotiate agreements commercial.

During the debates, he promised to present in his first 100 days of mandate "the First climate law of the EU", which will set the goal" to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 ".

To attract social democrats, von der Leyen emphasized progressive cutting measures, like a European unemployment insurance"for" external impacts "and a" minimum wage enabling a decent life "for full-time workers.

In terms of migration, one of the topics that marked the mandate of the current incumbent, Jean-Claude Juncker, promised to relaunch the reform of the asylum system and advance three years, until 2024, on the deployment of a European corps of 10,000 border guards and coast guards.

Who is Ursula von der Leyen

Von der Leyen, 60, is a doctor and mother of sevenas he pointed out during the inaugural debate, in which he is fluent in German, English and French.

Close to Chancellor Angela Merkel (EPP), of which she was minister in her four governments (2005-2019), her last responsibility was entrusted to the Ministry of Defense, which she led for six years, the first woman to direct it.

The start of his five-year term as head of the Commission, starting on 1 November, will be marked by the possible departure of the United Kingdom from the EU, planned the day before, by global trade tensions and relations. strained with the EU. Donald Trump's government in the United States.