More than 300 million voters in the 27 countries that make up the European Union are heading to the polls to elect the new European Parliament’s 720 members. The Parliament approves or rejects E.U. It also says yea or nay, by simple majority in a secret ballot, to the appointment of the president of the E.U. In the 2019 election, Ursula von der Leyen, a conservative, came dangerously close to being rejected as the European Commission president, securing the Parliament’s approval by just nine votes. This time, Ms. von Leyen, likely to be designated as president for a second five-year term, could face worse odds.

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Persons: Ursula von der Leyen, von Leyen Organizations: Union, European Commission Locations: Ukraine