Ursula von der Leyen has rolled out a pro-business pitch to her centre-right political party ahead of elections next year where she is expected to seek a second term as president of the European Commission.

In her annual speech to the European parliament on Wednesday, von der Leyen pledged to refocus the remainder of her term on fixing the continent’s sputtering economy. She vowed to slash red tape, strike new trade deals and boost competitiveness by appointing former European Central Bank head Mario Draghi as special adviser — all attempts to cater to lawmakers from her European People’s party that have criticised her presidency for being too focused on the green transition.

Von der Leyen has not announced her intentions for the 2024 election, but she will require support from the EPP and other groups in the EU parliament to secure a second term at the helm of the commission.