In a key-vote at Strasbourg Ursula von der Leyen got support for her new Commission team - with three-hundred and seventy lawmakers saying yes while two-hundred and eighty-two voted no
The next Commission will start its work in early-December (after EU Council gives its ok through qualified-majority voting); facing a packed to-do list that includes world-wide issues and home-ground tasks
The Commission chief outlined her first hundred-days program which includes:
- Climate-friendly business rules for reaching zero-carbon by 2050
- New defense cooperation plans
- Fresh look at EU farming policies
- Reports about making EU bigger with new members
The next year brings big-time challenges - like possible White House changes possible China problems and the need to keep helping Ukraine. The Commission needs to handle these issues while pushing forward with its green-deal targets and other EU-wide projects
The hand-over happens at an important time for Europe - when global trade relations are changing fast and the continents role in world politics needs smart choices. Von der Leyen wants her team to focus on making Europe stronger in defense tech and trade