Ursula von der Leyen, a moderateGerman Christian Democrat, was confirmed as the next head of the European Commission with an uncomfort-ably narrow majority in the European Parliament on Tuesday. It raises questions about the efficiency of EU decision-making. It does not mean that she will be a weak president. She appears to have the qualities and global outlookto give the institution a new élan. But she has a lot to prove.
The European parliamentary elections at the end of May reflected the kaleidoscopic nature of European politics today. The combined majority of centre-left and centre-right has gone. Liberals, greens and nationalists all gained support. Parliament is now more fluid and unpredictable, as Tuesday’s confirmation vote demonstrated. Assembling coalitions will be difficult. It would be for any new commission president. Even if Ms von der Leyen had won over more MEPs, it would not necessarily make it easier to win their approval for legislation in the years ahead. The council of ministers is also more divided than ever, particularly along east-west lines.
That Ms von der Leyen apparently clinched her post with the votes of Hungarian and Polish nationalists inevitably creates suspicions that she will be soft on defending the rule of law and fundamental rights. She will need to show that she is prepared to be tough, by pushing for new rules, such as conditioning EU spending on respect for democratic norms and judicial independence, and by taking governments to the European Court of Justice whenever they transgress.