Ursula von der Leyen faced a seemingly endless queue of well-wishers in the chamber of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Thursday, in scenes that would likely have stunned the very same legislature five years ago when she was thrust as an unknown candidate into one of the top jobs in the European Union (EU).

The German conservative sailed through a vote by EU lawmakers over whether she could stay on as European Commission President until 2029. Of the 707 votes cast, she received a comfortable majority of 401 votes in favor — well ahead of the necessary threshold of 360.

In 2019, she had edged through the same vote with a slim margin of nine.

"This is a very special and emotional moment for me," von der Leyen told reporters shortly after at a press conference, claiming it was also a win for "pro-EU, pro-Ukraine, pro-rule of law", democratic political forces.

In her first five years in office, von der Leyen pushed the EU towards ambitious climate goals — including a plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 — closely backed Kyiv in its war against Russia's invasion with arms and aid, and oversaw a huge post-pandemic investment drive based on unprecedented levels of joint EU borrowing.

Seemingly satisfied with her track record, EU leaders put forward her name to serve another term last month.

Von der Leyen looked strong heading into Thursday's vote , but confirmation from the EU's only directly elected body was a necessary hurdle to........

© Deutsche Welle