Ursula von der Leyen has narrowly secured backing for her appointment as European Commission president as deep scepticism from pro-EU parties forced her to rely on votes from the far-right and populist MEPs.

After a final appeal to the European Parliament, the former German defence minister won just 383 votes in favour of giving her the top job in Brussels, succeeding Jean-Claude Juncker. The majority of nine votes is the smallest ever backing for a commission president since parliament was given the power to reject nominees under the 2008 Lisbon treaty.

The narrow approval of Ms von der Leyen’s five-year mandate at the commission marks a victory for the EU’s national leaders. Driven by France’s Emmanuel Macron, they faced down MEPs’ demands that one of the so-called lead candidates in May’s European elections should get the Brussels top job.