Von der Leyen elected EU Commission head after MEPs vote
Baku, July 17, AZERTAC
Germany's Ursula von der Leyen has been narrowly elected president of the EU Commission following a secret ballot among MEPs, according to BBC.
The centre-right defence minister will replace Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on 1 November.
She secured the backing of more than half of the members of the European parliament on Tuesday evening.
The Commission drafts EU laws, enforces EU rules and has the power to impose fines on member states if necessary.
"The trust you placed in me is confidence you placed in Europe," Mrs von der Leyen, who is the first woman to be elected president of the European Commission, said in a speech immediately after the vote.
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