国际英语资讯:Spotlight: New European Commission approved by EU lawmakers_时事

国际英语资讯:Spotlight: New European Commission approved by EU lawmakers

STRASBOURG, Nov. 27 -- A new European Commission with Germany's Ursula von der Leyen as its first female president was approved by the European Parliament here on Wednesday.

The vote -- 461 in favor, 157 against and 89 abstentions -- was unsurprising, since she had already cleared the hurdles with European Union (EU) lawmakers in recent days.

Since being named to the post of president by leaders of the 28 EU member states, von der Leyen's start had been shaky. She struggled through her first vote in the European Parliament, winning by only nine votes in her own confirmation, after which several of her nominations of new European commissioners were defeated by lawmakers, leading to weeks of delay in taking office.

国际英语资讯:Spotlight: New European Commission approved by EU lawmakers1

Von der Leyen delivered a speech before the vote on Wednesday, repeating her pledges, such as a geopolitical European Commission, strong actions on climate change and strategic autonomy.

Now the European Council has to approve the Commission by a qualified majority before it takes office on Dec. 1.

GEOPOLITICAL COMMISSION

"This is an unsettled world, where too many powers only speak the language of confrontation and unilateralism," von der Leyen said, stressing that "the world needs our leadership more than ever."

"Countries from east to west, from south to north, need Europe to be a true partner," she said. "We can be the shapers of a better global order. This is Europe's vocation. And it's what European citizens want."