Putin, Xi and Trump would love to see Ursula von der Leyen go. That’s why the EU must keep her on | Paul Taylor

The European Commission president is up for re-election - and despite criticisms, she is best-placed to keep Europe secure in a time of crisis

Ursula von der Leyen should get a second five-year term at the head of the European Commission despite the somewhat phoney drama around her confirmation vote in the European parliament on Thursday.

To be sure, the 65-year-old centre-right former German defence minister cannot be certain of winning the absolute majority of 361 votes required to retain her job. Several members of the informal pro-European parliamentary coalition of the conservative European People's party (EPP), the centre-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and the liberal centrist Renew Europe (RE) campaigned against her or have said they will not vote for her.

Paul Taylor is a senior visiting fellow at the European Policy Centre