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LAST UPDATE | 18 Jul 2024
THE MUCH-AWAITED VOTE in the European Parliament on whether Ursula von der Leyen should continue as President of the European Commission is taking place today.
The German ex-defence minister lay out her view of Europe to MEPs in Strasbourg. During her speech she discussed how their choice today will shape the Union’s work for the next five years or define their place on the global stage for the next fifty.
Von der Leyen has led the European Commission since 2019 but her leadership has come under particular focus since the breakout of the latest period of violence in the Middle East.
Following the deadly Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, von der Leyen had said that Israel would have Europe’s support in its actions “in the weeks ahead”, leading to criticism that she had given support to the Israeli bombing campaign which followed.
Speaking today, she – for the first time – called for a ceasefire between the Israeli Defence Forces and Hamas. She said too many children, women and men had died as a result of the conflict already.
She urged both sides to agree to a Two-State Solution, adding that it was the only way for Israel and Palestine to continue together in a peaceful future. “The bloodshed in Gaza must stop now,” she told MEPs.
Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan called out von der Leyen after her speech, accusing her of not committing enough to help the Palestinians and claimed the German politician was allowing Israel to breach international law.
“We are witnessing the most documented genocide in history. And still, there are no consequences for Israel,” she said to the candidate and other parliamentarians.
Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan calls out von der Leyen over her stance on Gaza.
— Muiris O’Cearbhaill (@muirisoc) July 18, 2024
“We are witnessing the most documented genocide in history. And still, there are no consequences for Israel,” she said. “Colleagues, today, say no to genocide and say no to Von der Leyen.” @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/jC00tn2RpD
“Colleagues, today, say no oto genocide and say no to von der Leyen,” Boylan concluded.
In her role, von der Leyen has also weathered several crises like the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine – and also faced many controversies.
Dealing a blow to von der Leyen a day before the vote yesterday, a top EU court ruled she failed to be transparent enough about coronavirus vaccine contracts.
In her 45-minute address to MEPs today, von der Leyen addressed the many challenges Europe faces over the next five years. At the centre of those challenges, is the ongoing war in Ukraine.
She denounced Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s recent trip to Putin in Moscow, which he said was a “peace mission”.
“This so-called peace mission, was nothing but an appeasement-mission,” Von der Leyen said, to much applause from the chamber of parliamentarians. “Only two days later, Putin’s jet aimed their missiles at a children’s hospital and a maternity ward,” she added.
“That strike was not a mistake. It was a message. A chilling message to all of us.”
She added that, if elected, she will make sure that Europe stands with Ukraine until there is peace in region.
Von der Leyen said that the future of Europe’s liberty is “at stake” as the war goes on in Ukraine and, therefore, she plans to introduce a “Union of Defence” during her second term.
She said that European spending on defence is “too low” and that, while not all member states will be comfortable with the idea, the Union of Defence will set out to create a secure European airspace.
She added that this plan was “not only to protect our airspace, but send a clear and common signal of unity”. Under the plan, von der Leyen also wants to double the staff in Europol, triple the European border security teams and enlarge their mandates.
Von der Leyen recognised that the European Parliament and member states must continue to implement the laws under the Asylum and Migration Pact – a robust reform of migration laws across Europe which was agreed in April this year.
The candidate said she wanted to make sure member states were implementing the laws in a fair way, and wants to continue work to make sure the EU has a “common approach on returns”, to make them “more effective and dignified”.
She said, if she is elected, she will appoint a commissioner for the Mediterranean, an area in Europe where a large number of people seeking asylum attempt to cross – and sometimes die in the body of water as a result.
Von der Leyen said the Mediterranean commissioner is needed as “the future of those two Mediterranean shores, is one of the same”.
The new, neo-fascist Europe of Sovereign Nations group accused the President of not doing enough on Migration and suggested that the Migration and Asylum Pact will not be enough to tackle the influx of people seeking asylum.
The German politician acknowledged that the economic situation of many Europeans as left them struggling under the current economy. Von der Leyen said the EU needs to be the centre of investments.
She said the continents markets are “too fragmented” and committed to the capital markets union – a plan which looks to make investing in Europe and seeking investments easier for citizens and businesses.
The plan has been on the Commission’s desks for five years – but it is understood that there was little haste to introduce the first steps, until now. Von der Leyen said that now is the time for the EU to use and leverage its “enormous wealth”.
Along with the Capital Markets Union, she also wants to introduce a European Investment and Savings Union, to “deepen” the internal market and develop a competitions policy that allows companies to scale up quickly.
“Europe must be the home of opportunity and investments,” she said.
Manon Aubry, French MEP and co-leader of The Left group said in response: “Climb down from your ivory tower and see the reality. We have the multinationals and billionaires who are driving up the prices in our shopping carts.”
She accused Von der Leyen of “strengthening” austerity rules.
Von der Leyen promised to create a Housing Commissioner position, if she is confirmed as Commission President. This intention has been welcomed by Fine Gael MEPs Regina Doherty and Seán Kelly.
Yesterday, Doherty said that she welcomed the discussion on housing to the European Parliament but told The Journal that she did not believe a Housing Commissioner was necessary.
She said: “People are struggling to find affordable homes. This is why – for the first time – I will appoint a Commissioner with a direct responsibility for Housing. And we will develop a European Affordable Housing Plan.”
Her supporters believe she will comfortably clinch the vote by secret ballot after holding weeks of negotiations with lawmakers to push them to back her.
Von der Leyen needs at least 361 votes in the 720-seat parliament, which is holding its first sitting in the French city of Strasbourg since EU-wide elections in June.
This will likely be von der Leyen’s only shot since her candidacy was already hotly debated by EU leaders in June.
If the 65-year-old fails to get a majority, the 27 leaders will be expected to put forward a new name.
Von der Leyen belongs to the biggest political group in the parliament, the conservative European People’s Party (EPP), which is in a centrist coalition with the Socialists and Democrats and the liberal Renew Europe groups.
In theory, that coalition has the numbers to get von der Leyen over the line.
The position of Ireland’s MEPs has been the subject of some debate, with only Fine Gael members declaring their intention to vote for von der Leyen.
Fianna Fáil’s Barry Andrews and Billy Kelleher have also announced that they will not be voting for her either. It is understood that the other two other Fianna Fáil MEPs, Barry Cowen and Cynthia Ní Murchú, will also not support the incumbent.
Sinn Féin’s two MEPs Kathleen Funchion and Lynn Boylan will also vote against von der Leyen with Labour’s Aodhán Ó Ríordáin also ruling out voting for her.
The vote will take place at 12pm (Irish time), with the results expected at 2pm.
With reporting by © AFP 2024 and Rónán Duffy
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Keir Starmer says Joe Biden is so delighted he is the new Prime Minister, not only did he phone up to congratulate him on Friday, he did it three times on Saturday and five times on Sunday.
@Stephen Gaffney: the Democrats and the democrat biased media have lied for the last 4 years about Joe’s cognitive decline. It finally got to the point where it was absolutely undeniable during the debate and now they are scrambling to have him removed. Less than a month ago The Journal put out an article about “Cheap Fakes” trying to make out it was a Republican conspiracy to make Biden look bad. Do they not realise we can see through their biased opinions and have lost faith in their reporting!
@John K: White House also put out a statement saying he doesn’t have Parkinson’s. He is not taking medication for Parkinson’s. And he’s not receiving any treatment for Parkinson’s.
Not one mention of that severe onset of dementia.
@Stephen Gaffney: judge Martin Nolan at it again in the above article he is some work
@Bernard Connolly: What kind of world does he live in?
@John K: The Journal has almost become predictable at this stage
@Stephen Gaffney: The comment of the week goes to your Mr Gaffney :-)
@Terry Molloy: you(typo)
@Stephen Gaffney: American voters will have a cruel choice between a barely functional Biden and a diabolically felonious Trump …
Whichever of these 2 chaps they choose, the future looks bleak for the next 4 years …
Unless one or both of them drop out and the voters can choose more suitable, younger candidates for the POTUS & VP
@Bernard Connolly: Appalling sentencing as per usual. He needs to be removed and investigated himself as it’s always the same. These vile creatures must jump for joy when they get him judging their cases. Should be automatic minimum sentencing for these types of crimes. A suspended sentence is just shocking.
@John K: and everything that comes out of the lying treacherous sex offender fraudster orange thing is lies and projection
@Jose mourinho: If Trump wins the war in Ukraine will be over. Simple as that. Don’t care what people think of him or what he did / didn’t do.
Also, I know you got sacked from Roma but getting on the journal comments is a bit mental.
Donald Trump is brilliant. Everyone knows he’s brilliant. No one can deny it.
@Pól Pot: Not ashamed to use this nickname? You probably have no clue what it means.
@Alex: If you knew anything about geography, you’d understand that Trump is the only hope for a free and brave global economy.
@Pól Pot: I seem to remember his trade war with China didn’t go well..or his promise to make Mexico pay for.border wall and take back car manufacturing jobs from there too.
@Sean: If you knew anything about ornithology, you’d understand that the bald eagle is infact a sea eagle (Haliaeetus species) that commonly occurs inland along rivers and large lakes.
@Pól Pot: I thought that you’d be more interested in the northern lapwing (vanellus vanellus) since it is our national bird.
Want to try sport or history next?
@Sean: Neither. I’m simply happy that Donald has descended to the Mount of Olives as a prelude to His earthly reign.
@Pól Pot: the only olives trump knows about is in the oil he uses in his tan and hair colour
@Sean: Billions and billions of blue blistering barnacles! Blasphemy! Apostate! Pestilential pachyderm!
@Sean: He didn’t even know where Mexico was, when asked to point it out on a map.
Biden has already made his decision. He has said that he does not intend dropping out. Somebody should inform Pelosi of his decision.
@Nodon: big big mistake. If he won’t go, he should be pushed.
@Nodon: Someone should inform Joe he’s Trump’s best asset in the election campaign.
See Nolan is at it again. Another suspended sentence.
@Gary Mullen: i just read that report, how on earth is nolan allowed to continue wit with these suspend sentences.
@Gary Mullen: idiot….hasn’t a f*&&^%clue
Four More Wars!
Smashing through his campaign like a freight train, just like they knocked Bernie Sanders out with Hillary….. and look how well that worked out. I love watching the car crash politics of an American election year. Need more popcorn n beer
With Nato announcing that they are sending fighter jets to Ukraine expect emergency wartime conditions to be announced by the end of the year in the West, especially with the launch of Central bank currencies at the end of the year, which will facilitate the inevitable rationing quite easily, which will then be held onto after the emergency ends to limit every citizens carbon footprint….like clockwork…..so don’t expect there to be another one of those swell presidential elections this year.
@Dere: You forgot to mention the Illuminati, or is it 5G or vaccinies, I can’t keep up!
@Papa Smut: nah, just the military industrial complex and its partner in crime the financial industry, ya know the one President Eisenhower so fervently warmed the Anerican public about in his farewell presidential speech as the greatest threat to America…..but yeah, it’s just a conspiracy tinfoil hat thing.
Since he has been in power, he has work very hard to earn billions selling ammunitions and arms, as they were humiliated in Afghanistan and lost billions of weapons and vehicles. He has worked very hard not to help for peace but to create more conflicts. He is living in a cold war time and everyone not like him is a communist.
Trump has for him that he never went to war.
Good auld Martin.
@Jp Cleary: I wonder if any of those images were of his kids what would happen
My god are we and the world in for a horrendous time if its trump. My god sure the Democrats have someone they can put foreward to at least make a fight of it. Trump did and will destroy America and the world. Oh my god. Such an evil holligan.
@John Flanagan: I think people forget just how incompetent Trump is. Admittedly with the almost daily stream of d-e-b-a-s-e-d stream of consciousness he issues, it’s hard to remember everything grossly deficient about him.
@John Flanagan: Little over dramatic? Now I’m not his biggest fan but when “did” trump destroy the world?.
@John John: Trump recently had a meeting with oil executives in which he proposed to them favourable economic policy in return for campaign funding. Trump is in thrall to the corporations too.
He has made his decision but has forgotten what it was.
Biden paved the way for Trump. What a legacy.
@087 bed: Comment straight from Orwell Road standard narrative. Why would we get to vote on this?
Maybe you should concentrate on your own fascist president who for some reason has no opposition. I wonder why
@Fr. Fintan Stack: So anyone talking sense or fact is Russian, Good grief you are slow.
If your lucky enough to have a grand parent and if people and organisations consistently abused them , I know what I would do , I would turn the narrative back on the lying treacherous sex offender fraudster orange thing, and the epistine files
@Robert Halvey: The Epistinians shall be freed back unto their rightful lands.
@Robert Halvey: what the actual F are you talking about?
@Ger Whelan: all iam saying lad is Biden old and has slowed done a bit . But you and yours ignore the lying treacherous sex offender fraudster orange things old aswell
@087 bed: Ukraine cannot join NATO while it’s still at war with Russia. NATO allowing Ukraine to join while it’s at war is NATO declaring war on Russia which won’t happen. So you can stop crying.
The headline is 5 words too long
Stick to acting George!
Clooney up to his neck in it. Oddball.
Take the fifth Joe.
Biden has got to be the greatest president of all time!!!!!
@Peter Brown:… Lol
Who said to Putin – Wait till after the election. I will have more flexibility?
I appreciate the ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou’ reference in the Clooney sub-headline.
Donald will betray everyone. He has nothing left to lose. He’s all in. I do believe him when he said he would be dictator for a day, it’s all it would take to subdue the USA with the military on his side.
Come to Jesus, Joe!
I just read the headline and I knew it Nolan
I would vote for a dead joe before I would use my spit to save the lying treacherous sex offender fraudster orange thing from dehydration
have your say