The 61-year-old former German defence minister, who is succeeding Jean-Claude Juncker, vowed on Wednesday to fight the threat of climate change with “inclusive” initiatives while expanding economic growth. MEPs confirmed von der Leyen and her new European Commission in Strasbourg, with 461 voting in favour and 157 against. The ambitious speech she delivered was quickly dismissed by some in the chambers. Italian MEP Paolo Borchia mocked the incoming Commission President as he told her she will is going to need luck to implement her policies.
The Lega MEP blasted: “The new European Commission has many challenges which await it.
“But of course there’s a responsibility involved as well.
“President von der Leyen, you said you wanted to increase by 30 percent your budget for foreign policy.
“But just a hiking budget isn’t sufficient to be able to breach the differences between the various states.
“Do we really need a European office on the Fiji Islands or in Barbados?
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“And then in regard to the climate, we want to be the climate champions.
“But if third countries don’t do their bit, this would just mean more burden for European citizens.
“Let’s hope that we don’t see programmes and plans which will be used by the Commission to decide whether or not a democratically elected government is doing the right thing.
“How can a Commission be an inclusive Commission if you refused an exchange of views with millions of citizens who asked for a debate?
“Good luck, you’re definitely going to need it!”
Von der Leyen will be the first woman to hold the EU’s top job, European Commission president.
She will face a full in-tray including economic reform and migration as well as climate change.
The Commission proposes laws for the EU on everything from budgets to energy, negotiates trade deals around the world on behalf of the EU’s 500 million citizens and acts as the bloc’s competition watchdog, approving company mergers and setting rules for global tech giants such as Facebook and Google.
In her speech, she called for flexibility to be allowed under EU rules to help economies grow and promised to keep up pressure on upholding democratic standards.
Von der Leyen, a close ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the EU’s door remained open for Western Balkan countries hoping for membership. On Brexit, she said she would always be a staunch “Remainer” at heart.