Ursula von der Leyen encanta a los europeos en las elecciones de la UE

A medida que 🔑 los 400 millones de ciudadanos de la UE se preparan para votar en las elecciones europeas de junio, una nueva 🔑 encuesta muestra que es Ursula von der Leyen quien ha atraído la atención de los votantes como ningún líder de 🔑 la UE antes que ella.

Reconocimiento de von der Leyen sin precedentes entre los europeos

Our 🔑 survey suggests that a large majority of Europeans today are aware that she is the European Commission president, considered to 🔑 be the most powerful political office in the EU. Previous EU chief executives have been largely unknown to the public. 🔑 But almost 75% are able to correctly identify von der Leyen's name and recognise her face. Five years ago, her 🔑 predecessor, Jean-Claude Juncker, scored only 40% recognition.

Integración y rendición de cuentas en la UE

Pressure 🔑 for EU reform is becoming urgent. With war raging in Ukraine and Gaza, and the relationship between China and the 🔑 BR cooling, the EU needs deeper defence integration to meet the growing geopolitical challenges. Economic and monetary union might not 🔑 be sustainable without closer fiscal integration and a stronger single market. New technologies need to be harnessed to generate prosperity 🔑 for the next generation and the 27-nation EU is committed to expanding to become a union of 30 or more 🔑 member states.

But its democratic accountability remains weak. Not only are turnout and interest in 🔑 the five-yearly direct elections to the European parliament low, the results have only a limited bearing on the political leaning 🔑 of the commission, which forms and enforces policy for the EU.

Una oportunidad para la reforma en la UE

🔑 A window of opportunity is now opening up, however, as von der Leyen, first appointed in 2024, 🔑 is running for a second five-year term. Commission presidents are elected by MEPs, but first have to be nominated by 🔑 EU heads of government.

Public awareness of coordinated EU responses to two major crises that 🔑 have unfolded during von der Leyen's first five-year term – the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine – has 🔑 raised her profile well beyond predecessors'. Europe's leaders should seize this opportunity.

Retos y críticas a von der Leyen

🔑 Of course, in an increasingly personalised system, von der Leyen's fame and public recognition also leave her 🔑 flaws – her tendency to act alone, for example – more open to criticism. On an unscheduled trip to Israel 🔑 after the 7 October attacks she expressed unconditional support for Israel. This might not have been out of place had 🔑 she been the BR president. But EU member states were divided on the issue. The EU's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, 🔑 delivered a swift public rebuke of von der Leyen for assuming to speak on behalf of the entire EU. 🔑

El futuro de la UE: un desafío para von der Leyen

What is more, von der Leyen's 🔑 heightened profile will not necessarily do anything to help deliver a victory in the European parliament elections for the "grand 🔑 coalition" of social democrat, conservative and liberal groups that backed the policies she promoted during her first term.

🔑 Instead, we are likely to see a lurch to the hard right and