A year into her second term, the European Commission’s notoriously controlling president is attracting criticism for neutering her college of commissioners while blindly following the EU’s 27 national leaders.

A month ago it looked like the national capitals had hobbled the European Commission president. But Ursula von der Leyen’s shrewd last-minute moves before unveiling her college of commissioners have reasserted her authority and instead hobbled the French president.

The far right won’t play kingmaker when it comes to deciding on whether von der Leyen is reappointed as European Commission president, but they are still a stronger force in the new European Parliament.

European voters are in the habit of treating the European Parliament elections every five years as inconsequential protest votes based on national issues not related to the EU. But if they vote for the far right, it will have major economic, environmental, and geopolitical consequences.