Ursula von der Leyen announces re-election bid as European Commission president

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, has confirmed her intention to lead the executive for five more years.

Transcript

00:00 EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has declared her intention to run for a second

00:05 term.

00:07 She made the announcement after a meeting with the leadership of the Christian Democratic

00:10 Union Party in Berlin.

00:13 Five years ago, she decided to run for office rather ad hoc.

00:18 This time, the situation is completely different, she says.

00:22 "Today, five years later, I make a very conscious and well-considered decision.

00:30 The world today is a completely different one than in 2019.

00:35 We have gone through a lot together in the past five years and I think you could say

00:40 we have achieved more than we could ever imagine.

00:44 In these five years, not only has my passion for Europe grown, but of course also my experience

00:52 with Europe and how much this Europe can do for its people."

00:57 Von der Leyen will now stand as the European People's Party lead candidate in the European

01:02 Parliament elections in June.

01:04 By announcing her candidacy, von der Leyen has put an end to a months-long speculation

01:08 about her political future.

01:11 Her second term in Brussels would have one overriding objective, she says.

01:16 "We want to strengthen democracy of Europe in the European Union and we want to address

01:25 all the challenges around us, but in a way that people know that there's safety and security

01:33 within the European Union for them."

01:35 For many across the world, von der Leyen has become the main European interlocutor.

01:40 Her re-election would ensure continuity as the world faces multiple crises.

01:45 "I'm not going to be able to do that.

01:46 I'm not going to be able to do that.

01:47 I'm not going to be able to do that.

01:48 I'm not going to be able to do that.

01:49 I'm not going to be able to do that.