Current Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, representing the European People’s Party (EPP) and seeking a second term, emerged from the debate relatively unscathed, demonstrating a clear disparity in quality amongst the candidates. Von der Leyen stated, “It depends very much on how the composition of the Parliament is and who is in what group… It’s the Parliament who makes majorities” which many Brussels stakeholders have interpreted as the clearest signal yet that she is willing to cooperate with the ECR.