EU Commission President Faces Balancing Act Amid Trade Deal Backlash

Ursula von der Leyen steps into her second term as European Commission President confronting mounting political and economic challenges. The tariff agreement struck with former U.S. President Donald TRUMP in July continues to reverberate through European corridors of power, drawing criticism from lawmakers and business leaders who argue it disadvantages EU interests.

Her Strasbourg address will emphasize three pillars: bolstering European defense capabilities through increased investment, enhancing economic competitiveness against China's rise, and maintaining support for Ukraine amid ongoing Russian aggression. The speech aims to project EU unity while acknowledging diverging stakeholder interests.

Climate policy and digital transition initiatives will feature prominently as markers of European technological ambition. Yet pressing questions remain about implementing former ECB chief Mario Draghi's competitiveness blueprint - particularly regarding regulatory simplification that business leaders demand.