Leaders of the European Union decide on key positions Ursula von der Leyen is renominated as head of the Commission

Ursula von der Leyen, a conservative German, was reappointed as president of the European Commission for a further five years on Thursday after European Union leaders approved three high-level nominations for its common political institutions.Ursula von der Leyen, a conservative German, was reappointed as president of the European Commission for a further five years on Thursday after European Union leaders approved three high-level nominations for its common political institutions.Following the EU Parliament elections, leaders of the European Union have decided which officials will represent the largest trading bloc in the world on international fora in the years to come, on matters ranging from foreign policy to antitrust cases.

The final nominee will serve as the head of the bloc's diplomacy. The three finalists will occupy prominent roles at the European Commission, the EU's strong executive department, and the European Council, the body that represents the 27 member nations. The Associated Press examines their background and scope of work.The powerful European Commission has recommended the 65-year-old German politician for a second term in office. The center-right European People's Party (EPP), which comprises von der Leyen's Christian Democratic Union, continued to be the largest group in the EU Parliament earlier this month, which gave her bid a boost.Von der Leyen has received recognition for taking the lead during the COVID-19 crisis, when the EU purchased vaccines for its citizens as a whole. However, she also encountered harsh criticism for the lack of transparency in the talks with the manufacturers of vaccines.In the lead-up to the European elections, Von der Leyen has also represented the EU's plans to become climate neutral by 2050. However, her dedication to the Green Deal policies has come under scrutiny as the EU appeared wary of upsetting farmers who claimed that EU environmental and climate laws were forcing them into bankruptcy.