Ursula von der Leyen (R) poses next to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola (R) with document after being elected to a second term as president of the European Commission at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, on July 18, 2024. Photo by FREDERICK FLORIN / AFP
Strasbourg, France: EU lawmakers on Thursday handed Ursula von der Leyen another five-year term as European Commission president during their first parliamentary session since June elections.
Von der Leyen won with the support of 401 MEPs in the 720-seat chamber -- comfortably over the 361-vote majority she needed to remain head of the EU's executive body. There were 284 who voted against in the secret ballot.
