The Latest: Von der Leyen ready for further Brexit extension

BRUSSELS — The Latest on the EU parliament vote on Commission President (all times local):

9:55 a.m.

Ursula von der Leyen, the candidate to succeed Jean-Claude Juncker as head of the EU executive, says she would grant another extension to the Brexit deadline if Britain needed it to assure an orderly withdrawal from the bloc.

Britain is slated to leave the bloc on Oct. 31, which is already a half-year delay from the original departure date.

Britain, however, has been wracked by internal division over the terms of departure agreed with the EU.

“I stand ready for a further extension of the withdrawal date should more time be required,” she told EU lawmakers Tuesday.

Boris Johnson, the favourite to succeed outgoing British Prime Minister Theresa May, has said that he wants to leave the EU on Oct. 31, with or without an agreement.

___

9 a.m.

Outgoing German defence minister Ursula von der Leyen is seeking to woo enough legislators at the European Parliament to secure the job of European Commission President in a secret vote late Tuesday.

The Christian Democrat of the European People’s Party is promising the parliamentarians she will put climate and social issues at the heart of her program over the next five years as she seeks to gather the requisite 374 votes out of 747.

Von der Leyen was a last-minute candidate to succeed Jean-Claude Juncker that the EU leaders agreed on as part of a package of top jobs that were decided on early this month.

Under the package, the free-market liberal Renew Europe group got Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel as Council President and the Socialists won the top parliament job.

The Associated Press