Olaf Scholz Backs Von Der Leyen for Second Term as EU Commission President

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will propose Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as European Commission President. Scholz's support, along with backing from other leaders, is crucial for von der Leyen to secure a majority. EU leaders will discuss and potentially decide on this and other top positions at a meeting in Brussels.

The government of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will propose a second term of office for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at a meeting of European Union leaders on Monday, government sources told Reuters. Von der Leyen, who is German, has headed the EU's executive body since 2019 and has been strengthened by this month's election to the European Parliament as her centre-right European People's Party (EPP) gained seats in voting across the EU.

But to secure a second five-year term, von der Leyen needs the support of a majority of the EU's national leaders and a working majority in the European Parliament. Scholz's government is widely expected to endorse von der Leyen but has not said so publicly.

EU leaders will gather in Brussels on Monday for a first joint review of the European Parliament election. They are expected to reach an informal decision on a number of top jobs, including the chairman of EU leaders' summits and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs, before confirmation at an EU summit on June 28-29, diplomats said.

With 13 national leaders from the EPP, Germany set to back von der Leyen, and France leaning towards supporting her, she would have the qualified majority required - 15 of the 27 EU member states, representing 65% of the EU population.