According to him, the CDU stands for von der Leyen staying in office as President of the European Commission for a second term, a role she has held since 2019.
Von der Leyen herself, during a joint press conference in Berlin with Merkel, stated that she is ready to run for a second term as the head of the European Commission, calling it a «conscious and well-thought-out» decision.
The final decision on von der Leyen’s candidacy will be made at the EPP congress, which will take place on March 6th and 7th in Bucharest.
Prior to becoming the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen sequentially led several ministries in : family affairs (2005-2009), health (2009-2013), and defense (2013-2019).