Green EU lawmakers to support von der Leyen for second term

STRASBOURG (Reuters) - Green lawmakers in the European Parliament have agreed to support Ursula von der Leyen's bid for a second term as head of the European Commission in a vote on Thursday, the Greens/EFA Group tweeted, confirming what sources inside the group had earlier told Reuters.

"The Greens/EFA Group has formally decided to support Ursula von der Leyen as EU Commission President", the group said on social media platform X.

The 53-member Green lawmaker group's decision, taken by vote in a closed-door meeting, bolsters von der Leyen's chances of securing another five years as head of the European Union's most powerful institution.

The vote is a secret ballot. Lawmakers were scheduled to vote to elect or reject von der Leyen at 1 p.m. (1100 GMT) in Strasbourg, France.

(Reporting by Kate Abnett; Editing by Charlotte Van Campenhout and Peter Graff)