Germany’s Von der Leyen elected European commission head

Germany's Ursula von der Leyen has been elected president of the European parliament following a secret ballot among MEPs on Tuesday.

The centre-right defence minister will replace Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on 1 November, making her the first female to secure this position.

She secured 383 votes to 327 against, said David Sassoli, speaker of the assembly. The threshold was 374.

A total of 751 MEPs were elected in May, but four were absent for Tuesday's vote.

The Commission drafts EU laws, enforces EU rules and has the power to impose fines on member states if necessary.

"The trust you placed in me is confidence you placed in Europe," von der Leyen, who is the first woman to be elected president of the European Commission, said in a speech immediately after the vote.

"Your confidence in a united and strong Europe, from east to west, from south to north."

"It is a big responsibility and my work starts now," she added. "Let us work together constructively."

Born in Brussels, von der Leyen has seven children and trained as a gynaecologist before entering politics.

The 60-year-old defence minister has been criticised in Germany over the armed forces' persistent equipment shortages and what some consider to be her aloof management style.

She has promised to push for the EU to play a bigger role in social welfare, to tackle poverty, and has stressed that she would stand up for women's rights.

The German politician, who has said she is open to giving more time to Britain to negotiate its exit from the bloc, said she would work “in a constructive way” with any new British prime minister.