EU’s von der Leyen wins conservatives’ backing to lead bloc for 5 more years

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday won the backing of the EU's leading political group, the centre-right European People's Party, to head the bloc's powerful executive for another five years.

The only candidate in the party's ballot, von der Leyen listed the war in Ukraine, the crisis in Gaza destabilising the Middle East, and the rise of China as key challenges for the 27-nation European Union, a wealthy grouping of 450 million people.

"And here at home, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's friends are trying to rewrite our history and hijack our future. They are spreading hate from behind their keyboards," she told a party caucus in Bucharest. "Our peaceful and united Europe is being challenged like never before by populists, by nationalists, by demagogues."

Von der Leyen won with 400 votes in favour and 89 against, an EPP official...