Von der Leyen will prioritize expansion in her second term

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is expected to be elected on Thursday for another term at the head of this institution, for a five-year term. She will need at least 361 votes from the 720 deputies in the European Parliament. .
On the eve of this vote, von der Leyen has made public her priorities for the next mandate, including the process of expanding the European bloc.
"Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the largest ever enlargement of the EU allowed us to reflect on this process, which proved to be a success for these countries, and for the EU as a whole. History calls us again and the EU has a choice to make about its future. I believe that it is a moral, political and geo-strategic imperative to complete our bloc, in accordance with the promises we have given based on the treaties", said the statement of the head of the EU.
She has said that in a world where the great powers exist, a stronger and more enlarged EU gives Europe a greater weight on the global stage. She reiterated that the enlargement process will remain based on the individual merits of those who want to become part of the EU.
"This will not be an easy journey. EU membership will always be merit-based and each candidate will be assessed on the basis of progress in meeting the criteria. We will increase our efforts to prepare the candidate countries, in particular through investments and reforms with the growth plan for the Western Balkans, and the means for Ukraine", she said.
Von der Leyen has promised that, if re-elected to the position she holds, she will appoint a dedicated commissioner to push the enlargement process forward.
"Many had doubts about the EU's ability to integrate a large number of new member countries in 2004, which had different economic, structural and population conditions. But the EU proved that it could face this, preparing from within, and integrating them very early. Europe will prove this once again", she said, speaking about the expansion.
Von der Leyen has also warned that she will appoint a special commissioner for Defense and another for the Mediterranean, as these areas, according to her, are a challenge and a priority for the European Union.