Von der Leyen set for second term as European Commission chief

18/6/2024 6:30

        Ursula von der Leyen was expected to secure informal backing on Monday for a second term as president of the European Commission, which sets the EU
        agenda with legislative proposals, trade investigations and competition adjudication.
        
        Back in 2019, the doctor-turned-German-defence-minister was a surprise pick to head the body, a decision that was only reached after marathon talks between EU leaders. This time round she is very much the front-runner.
        
        Born in Brussels and the mother of seven children, she has chosen to live in a small flat next to her office on the 13th floor of the Commission's Berlaymont headquarters to avoid the Belgian capital's traffic.
        
        After securing a narrow majority in the European Parliament, without the backing of the Greens, her Commission launched the Green Deal in December 2019. It proposed a commitment to climate neutrality by 2050, with multiple legislative proposals to reach that goal since then.