Today, Thursday, lawmakers in the European Parliament re-elected Ursula von der Leyen for a second five-year term as President of the European Commission, giving her a comfortable majority and avoiding a potential leadership vacuum.

Von der Leyen raised her fists in a victory expression as Parliament President Roberta Metsola announced the result in the legislative assembly.

The re-election ensures continuity of leadership for the bloc of 27 nations as it grapples with crises ranging from the war in Ukraine to climate change, migration, and housing shortages.

A majority in the 720-seat legislative assembly voted in favor of the German Christian Democratic Party after a speech in which she pledged to be a strong leader for Europe in times of crisis and polarization.

Von der Leyen received 401 votes out of 707. There were 284 votes against her nomination, 15 abstentions, and seven invalid ballots.

The secret ballot was hotly contested in the wake of strong gains by the far-right in last month's European Parliament elections.

In her final address, von der Leyen said, “I will never allow extreme polarization in our societies to become acceptable. I will never accept that demagogues and extremists destroy our European way of life. I stand here today ready to lead the fight with all democratic forces in this assembly.”

If lawmakers had rejected her nomination, it would have left leaders of the bloc of 27 scrambling to find an alternative at a time when Europe faces crises ranging from the war in Ukraine to climate change. Instead, the continent now has a pair of experienced leaders at the helm.

In a speech aimed at rallying support from across the political spectrum, von der Leyen pledged to boost the European Union's economy, its police and border agencies, tackle migration, and pursue policies addressing climate change, while supporting farmers who organized protests against what they claim is stifling EU bureaucracy and environmental rules.

She also criticized Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his recent visit to Russia shortly after his country assumed the EU's rotating presidency for six months.

Von der Leyen stated, while vowing to stand alongside Ukraine: “This so-called peace mission was nothing but a mission of appeasement.”

Far-right MP Diana Iovanoeviće Susuaka from Romania was escorted out of the parliament chamber for harassing a speaker during the debate following von der Leyen's speech. Iovanoeviće Susuaka briefly wore what appeared to be a mask and carried religious icons before being removed from the room.

Over the past five years, von der Leyen has led the bloc through a series of crises, including Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. She has also driven the Green Deal aimed at making the EU climate neutral by 2050.

As the debate wrapped up, she told lawmakers: “I hope to earn your trust in the years to come. Long live Europe.”

Von der Leyen's election came as newly elected UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed around 45 heads of government to discuss migration, energy security, and the threat posed by Russia while seeking to restore relations between the UK and its European neighbors.

Leaders signed on to German conservative von der Leyen at a summit late last month. Her 65-year-old candidacy was bolstered by the fact that the European People's Party, which includes the Christian Democratic Union led by von der Leyen, remained the largest group in the European Parliament after the elections.

The German politician was praised for her leadership role during the COVID-19 crisis, when the EU collectively purchased vaccines for its citizens. However, she also faced sharp criticism for the lack of transparency in negotiations with vaccine manufacturers.

The EU General Court ruled on Wednesday that the Commission did not allow the public adequate access to information about the COVID-19 vaccine purchase agreements it made with pharmaceutical companies during the pandemic.

Before the voting began, a majority of lawmakers rejected a proposal put forward by a leftist bloc in the parliament calling to postpone the elections until September in light of the court's ruling.

Following the European Parliament elections, EU leaders agreed on the officials who will hold key positions in the world's largest trading bloc in the coming years, dealing with issues ranging from antitrust investigations to foreign policy. Alongside von der Leyen, there will be two new faces: Antonio Costa from Portugal as President of the European Council, and Kaja Kallas from Estonia as the chief diplomat of the world's largest trading bloc.

While Costa's nomination only requires the approval of the leaders, Kallas will also need the approval of European lawmakers later this year. The Estonian Prime Minister is a strong supporter of Ukraine and a fierce critic of Russia within the EU and NATO.