On Thursday, Ursula von der Leyen was re-elected as President of the European Commission with a significant majority of 401 out of 720 votes from European Parliament members, a far wider margin than her narrow win five years ago.

Ursula von der Leyen secured a second term as President of the European Commission, receiving a robust 401 votes from Europarliamentarians. This marks a significant increase in support compared to her first election, where she won by just nine votes. Von der Leyen’s comprehensive list of promises helped her gain backing from a diverse array of parliament members.

In her “political guidelines,” Von der Leyen committed to enhancing protection and support for European businesses during the climate transition through a “Clean Industry Deal.” She also reaffirmed her climate goals, winning over many green parliamentarians.

With broader support now, including from centrist parties (Christian Democrats, Social Democrats, and Liberals) as well as many green parliamentarians and some far-right members, Von der Leyen has a more solid mandate. Over recent weeks, she dedicated considerable effort to persuading various political groups.

Despite this backing, Von der Leyen’s proposals may still face challenges in a more fragmented Parliament. She will need to build new coalitions to implement her plans. Her inclusive program, designed to appeal to a wide range of political factions, will be closely monitored to see if she delivers on her promises.

Dutch parties VVD, CDA, NSC, GroenLinks-PvdA, and Volt supported Von der Leyen, while PVV, SGP, and the Party for the Animals opposed her reappointment. BBB did not disclose their vote.

On Thursday, Von der Leyen emphasized her commitment to protecting European businesses and reducing regulatory burdens. She highlighted plans to strengthen European industry and competitiveness while promising to reduce bureaucratic hurdles. Her existing climate ambitions, including a target of 90% emission reduction by 2040, remained unchanged.

Von der Leyen took a cautious stance on phasing out fuel cars by 2035, a proposal her party recently opposed. She emphasized that the goal provides clarity for automakers but suggested amending the law to include vehicles using e-fuels, like green hydrogen. On migration, she avoided mentioning her party’s previous proposal to process migrants outside the EU, instead focusing on tripling the number of European border guards and cracking down on human smuggling.

In her second term, Von der Leyen aims to prioritize defense and industrial policies over new climate initiatives, while maintaining strong support for Ukraine. She also criticized Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for his recent visit to Moscow, which she dismissed as a “mission of appeasement.”

With a stronger mandate and a clear set of priorities, Von der Leyen’s second term will be crucial in shaping the future direction of the European Union.