At the same time, von der Leyen pledged to expand the European Green Deal with an ambitious 2040 climate target, a plan to prepare the European Union for the impacts of climate change and a program to boost clean technology manufacturing if reelected. Several left-leaning groups made their support contingent on a firm commitment to the EU’s existing climate targets and a new emissions-cutting goal of at least 90 percent by 2040.
Von der Leyen promised to push for an investment bonanza for the next five years if she is reelected. She announced a “European Competitiveness Fund” that will direct cash to everything “from AI to space, clean tech to biotech.” She also plans to throw new weight behind a decades-old plan to forge an EU-wide capital markets union.
In a clear signal toward the European Parliament, von der Leyen also lashed out at Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Von der Leyen slammed Orbán’s trip to Russia, calling it an “appeasement mission.” She said “Russia is banking on Europe and the West going soft and some in Europe are playing along,” to warm applause from MEPs.
European lawmakers have been particularly vocal about the behavior of Orbán during Budapest’s presidency of the Council of the EU.
The European Parliament will vote on Thursday on a potential second term for von der Leyen. She needs to secure at least 361 votes out of 720. As she did during her election campaign, von der Leyen called on the European Parliament to choose stability over uncertainty.
“We are in a period of deep anxiety,” von der Leyen said, adding “I am convinced that Europe, a strong Europe, can rise to the challenge and this is why I am asking for your confidence today.”
Max Griera, Zia Weise, Laura Kayali, Gregorio Sorgi and Giovanna Faggionato contributed reporting.