There are no direct elections in the undemocratic EU.
In 2019, there was. After Brexit finally concluded, the EU decided having an election would make the people more likely to support remaining in the bloc as they feel part of the decision making.
The winner of said election was Manfred Weber. Ursula Von Der Leyen wasn't even on the list to vote for.
Of course, feminists in the EU couldn't stand that a woman didn't win, and a backroom deal involving Merkel's CDU created the Von Der Leyen ticket that was put to vote by the EU Parliament and narrowly won against empty chairing the seat.
Here's a German person talking about it on Quora. I can't find many sources, but there was an assumption within the people, backed by the EU, that whatever party bloc won, their leader would be Commission President.
See, this is the problem with your confirmation bias.
Weber had seemed the most likely choice, given that he is the leading candidate of the biggest group in the Parliament — the center-right European People's Party (EPP). But the conservative from Germany has failed to attract enough support from other parties.
In 2019, there was. After Brexit finally concluded, the EU decided having an election would make the people more likely to support remaining in the bloc as they feel part of the decision making.
The winner of said election was Manfred Weber. Ursula Von Der Leyen wasn't even on the list to vote for.
Of course, feminists in the EU couldn't stand that a woman didn't win, and a backroom deal involving Merkel's CDU created the Von Der Leyen ticket that was put to vote by the EU Parliament and narrowly won against empty chairing the seat.
EP supposed elections. How do you not know how parliamentary systems work, even though you are from the UK?
https://archive.md/L3XwK
Here's a German person talking about it on Quora. I can't find many sources, but there was an assumption within the people, backed by the EU, that whatever party bloc won, their leader would be Commission President.
See, this is the problem with your confirmation bias.
https://www.dw.com/en/weber-wont-be-next-european-commission-president-report/a-49408003
That's how a parliamentary system works. It's utter crap. But it is how it works.