Ursula Van der Leyen: The New European Commission President

[Nicky91]

The European Union’s leaders have thrown their weight behind German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen to become the new president of the European Commission, a development that came after a marathon of contentious talks that saw Europe’s political heavyweights abandon the Spitzenkanindaten system that brought incumbent Commission head, Jean-Claude Juncker, to power in 2014.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel abstained from voting in order to avoid a political crisis. Her decision was influenced by the fact that the Social Democratic Party (SPD) of Germany is split over Merkel’s decision remain on the sidelines during the voting process.

The European Council elected outgoing Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel to take over for Donald Tusk.

Europe’s leaders also agreed to nominate International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde to become the next president of the European Central Bank and Josep Borrell Fontelles to be in charge of the bloc’s foreign policy.

https://www.neweurope.eu/article/eu-leaders-back-germanys-von-der-leyen-to-be-new-commission-president/

http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Weekly+Government+Cabinet+Meeting+XnrJHRwjvgbl.jpg

Ursula Van Der Leyen

[arista]

Yes Leyen
not liked by many
over critical of our Brexit

[Twosugars]

First woman in charge of the commission:clap1:

[Nicky91]

First woman in charge of the commission:clap1:

the favourite for this position was our Frans Timmermans, but most eastern european countries were against him

[Livia]

A German president of Europe. And not a shot fired.

[Parmy]

Time for us all to take the lead from our brexit meps and turn our backs on this lot.

[Nicky91]

Time for us all to take the lead from our brexit meps and turn our backs on this lot.

aw scare tactics won't work anymore i'm afraid


we EU are not scared of UK's departure, october 31 is beginning to feel a bit too long a wait, maybe kicking you guys out would be best option


honestly EC has other things to focus on rather than being annoyed by UK (making a strong europe, working closer together) a shame the UK doesn't want to be a part of that



as for Ursula as new president, hope she can be just as good as Juncker was

[Livia]

aw scare tactics won't work anymore i'm afraid


we EU are not scared of UK's departure, october 31 is beginning to feel a bit too long a wait, maybe kicking you guys out would be best option


honestly EC has other things to focus on rather than being annoyed by UK (making a strong europe, working closer together) a shame the UK doesn't want to be a part of that



as for Ursula as new president, hope she can be just as good as Juncker was

Look at Nicky, speaking for the whole EU. Again.

[Twosugars]

aw scare tactics won't work anymore i'm afraid


we EU are not scared of UK's departure, october 31 is beginning to feel a bit too long a wait, maybe kicking you guys out would be best option


honestly EC has other things to focus on rather than being annoyed by UK (making a strong europe, working closer together) a shame the UK doesn't want to be a part of that



as for Ursula as new president, hope she can be just as good as Juncker was

Well said Nicky. :clap1:
Churchill must be spinning in his grave

[Nicky91]

Look at Nicky, speaking for the whole EU. Again.

i cannot speak for everyone, but i just say what i think of the EU


also what MY views of europe are

[Livia]

Churchill? Spinning in his grave at seeing a German as President of Europe? I agree.

[Parmy]

I give it 2 years after our departure...it's not what the European population wants anymore in my opinion.

[Nicky91]

belgian Charles Michel is european parliament president (or president of EU)


Ursula is president of EC (european commission) and she has Frans Timmermans as her vice president

[Livia]

i cannot speak for everyone, but i just say what i think of the EU


also what MY views of europe are

"we EU are not scared of UK's departure, october 31 is beginning to feel a bit too long a wait, maybe kicking you guys out would be best option."



If that's not you speaking on behalf of the whole EU, then I don't know what is. And yeah, maybe "you" should kick us out. It may be quicker than waiting while remainer MPs scupper every attempt.

[Livia]

I give it 2 years after our departure...it's not what the European population wants anymore in my opinion.

It's why the EU have been so awkward and unyielding. They don't want anyone to see us getting a smooth departure. It would suit them for us to have as bad a time as possible to discourage other EU countries who, if given a referendum, would vote to come out.

[Nicky91]

"we EU are not scared of UK's departure, october 31 is beginning to feel a bit too long a wait, maybe kicking you guys out would be best option."



If that's not you speaking on behalf of the whole EU, then I don't know what is. And yeah, maybe "you" should kick us out. It may be quicker than waiting while remainer MPs scupper every attempt.

oh but i'm not against UK, but i'm more against those brexit party mep's now who literally don't give a damn in european parliament, turning their backs is a insult to many mep's from other countries in EP who do take things serious in there

[Livia]

oh but i'm not against UK, but i'm more against those brexit party mep's now who literally don't give a damn in european parliament, turning their backs is a insult to many mep's from other countries in EP who do take things serious in there

Of course they don't give a damn about the EU parliament. They are the Brexit party. I do agree that turning their backs was rude and childish... but I really am tired of the lie that the EU have been nothing but co-operative while in reality, they have been ignorant and obstinate. Can you remember when all the EU leaders got together and totally ignored Theresa May? How embarrassingly childish of them.

Saying you're tired of waiting and 31 October seems to far away, maybe we should be kicked out now.... that doesn't give me any indication you have any time for the UK at all.

[Twosugars]

"we EU are not scared of UK's departure, october 31 is beginning to feel a bit too long a wait, maybe kicking you guys out would be best option."



If that's not you speaking on behalf of the whole EU, then I don't know what is. And yeah, maybe "you" should kick us out. It may be quicker than waiting while remainer MPs scupper every attempt.

Dont let facts get in the way of your argument
If ergo and dup supported May the agreement would have gone through

[Nicky91]

Of course they don't give a damn about the EU parliament. They are the Brexit party. I do agree that turning their backs was rude and childish... but I really am tired of the lie that the EU have been nothing but co-operative while in reality, they have been ignorant and obstinate. Can you remember when all the EU leaders got together and totally ignored Theresa May? How embarrassingly childish of them.

Saying you're tired of waiting and 31 October seems to far away, maybe we should be kicked out now.... that doesn't give me any indication you have any time for the UK at all.

no, and EU has never been ignorant or obstinate towards my country :(

i myself well i am annoyed reading or hearing brexit this, brexit that, also on our dutch news shows


i just want this brexit mess to be over now, but i don't hate the UK

[Parmy]

oh but i'm not against UK, but i'm more against those brexit party mep's now who literally don't give a damn in european parliament, turning their backs is a insult to many mep's from other countries in EP who do take things serious in there

It was a better protest than the rudeness shown to the British voters by the lib Dems.

[Twosugars]

Churchill? Spinning in his grave at seeing a German as President of Europe? I agree.

He called for United states of Europe
And your cheap shot against a German being elected by a majority of eu governments is just that, cheap.

[Parmy]

He called for United states of Europe
And your cheap shot against a German being elected by a majority of eu governments is just that, cheap.

Ain't you wasting your time posting that?

[Livia]

He called for United states of Europe
And your cheap shot against a German being elected by a majority of eu governments is just that, cheap.

Yeah well, that's your opinion, that's all. Don't state it like it's a fact.

[bots]

the views within the EU have fragmented rapidly. I think once the UK has left and our final payment has been swallowed up and spent, those outside of France/Germany/Netherlands will think twice about being a part of it.

[Twosugars]

the views within the EU have fragmented rapidly. I think once the UK has left and our final payment has been swallowed up and spent, those outside of France/Germany/Netherlands will think twice about being a part of it.

Illusions of grandeur?

EU had disagreements in the past, it is a democracy

[bots]

Illusions of grandeur?

EU had disagreements in the past, it is a democracy

are you really that naive? If the EU were a democracy, the presidential pick wouldn't have been the biggest contributors choice when she was in the minority in support

[Twosugars]

are you really that naive? If the EU were a democracy, the presidential pick wouldn't have been the biggest contributors choice when she was in the minority in support

Its politics and the art of compromise
Were you born yesterday?

[Nicky91]

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our political news correspondent Fons Lambie about how well received Ursula has been by european parliament now

Christian-Democrats: Support

Liberal: Support

Social-Democrats: they are happy, and they want no chaos

Greens: Great Speech, they were first opposed to miss van der leyen, but now are more in the middle

Far Rights: opposed

Brexit Party mp's: ''thank god we're leaving #EP''

[Livia]

First female president of Europe.... unelected by the people.

[Oliver_W]

She's a God's gift for Farage and other Brexiteers tbh.

Just get us out asap...

[Kizzy]

Churchill? Spinning in his grave at seeing a German as President of Europe? I agree.

Why would he? Hitler wasn't German.
Out if 26 states why not Germany? :/

[Oliver_W]

I don't really care what Churchill would have thought tbh

What I think is that the EU being headed by someone who's for more centralisation, more power to the European Commission, an EU army, more expansion ... and we don't even get a say!
Actually we did have our say three years ago :)

[Underscore]

I'm extremely pro EU but for liberal reasons, Ursula Van der Leyen is not a good candidate and if I were an MEP, I'd have voted against.

I'm disappointed in the Lib Dem MEPs who have voted for her. We're liberals, not liberal conservatives.

I totally support more integration, but this whole process has eroded democracy within the EU, swapping candidates at the last min? really??

[Nicky91]

Ursula got elected european commission president, narrowly getting enough votes in european parliament :love:

thank you to the leftist parties for giving that support, and a great day to see a defeat for the far right, and glad the brexit party their trolling didn't cause a upset here

[Nicky91]

I'm extremely pro EU but for liberal reasons, Ursula Van der Leyen is not a good candidate and if I were an MEP, I'd have voted against.

I'm disappointed in the Lib Dem MEPs who have voted for her. We're liberals, not liberal conservatives.

I totally support more integration, but this whole process has eroded democracy within the EU, swapping candidates at the last min? really??

:idc: coming from a country who had brexit party MEP's who don't give a s**t about EU

Liberals voted to support Ursula as president btw ;)

[Kizzy]

:idc: coming from a country who had brexit party MEP's who don't give a s**t about EU

Liberals voted to support Ursula as president btw ;)

True our MEP is the most anti EU person I know... :/

[Nicky91]

Miss Ursula had a meeting with the germany's new CDU leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer who congratulated her on her european commission presidency

[Nicky91]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/17/akk-annegret-kramp-karrenbauer-appointed-germany-defence-minister

and this kramp-karrenbauer is now also the successor of Ursula van der leyen as germany's defence minister

[joeysteele]

Ursula got elected european commission president, narrowly getting enough votes in european parliament :love:

thank you to the leftist parties for giving that support, and a great day to see a defeat for the far right, and glad the brexit party their trolling didn't cause a upset here

I think she could do a good job Nicky.

Interesting it seems, that Farage thought 52% was too close a margin to be valid.

I think it's good she has the chance.