Politico: Why Von der Leyen is losing her team
4 Min Read
Politico explains how a secretive and domineering Von der Leyen has had commissioners feeling put out of decision-making under Von der Leyen..
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels, on July 10, 2021. (AP)
According to Suzanne Lynch and Nicholas Vinocur, writing for Politico, Ursula Von Der Leyen's is unable to keep her team together.
With nearly a year till its mandate expires, the European Commission, which von der Leyen leads, has seen an increasing number of top officials looking for other opportunities.
Politico explained that a string of those working with her have begun to speak out against her measures. Her executive Vice President was the latest prominent EU commissioner to proclaim his decision to return home and re-enter domestic politics last week.
Von der Leyen "dangling in the wind"
In the meantime, curiosity is widespread about von der Leyen's own future, and whether the 64-year-old would seek re-election to the EU's most powerful institution.
A senior political aide anonymously stated that Von der Leyen is "now more exposed than she has ever been,” noting that as her commissioners resign, she is left "dangling in the wind."
In 11 months, the EU will see an election to replace its 700 members from 27 member nations. Although she hasn't indicated if she'll run for president again, numerous commissioners of hers aren't holding their breath.
The Commission has witnessed a string of departures recently in its senior levels, one of whom is Frans Timmermans, the executive vice president of the EU Commission, who declared he intends to run for prime minister of the Netherlands.
With the CEO position of the European Investment Bank opening at the end of the year, another executive VP under Von der Leyen, Margrethe Vestager has entered the race. Von der Leyen responded with a scathing letter, advising her to avoid conflicts of interest.
If approved, Vestager will be gone by autumn.
Mariya Gabriel, the EU's Commissioner for Innovation and Research, resigned and returned to Bulgaria to become Minister of Foreign Affairs, while Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski has been accused of neglecting his EU duties by spending most of his time in his home country, Poland.
According to Politico, von der Leyen's managerial style has irritated certain colleagues. Qualities that appealed her to Americans — a no-nonsense, centralized approach to decision-making – alienated her own commissioners in Brussels after she made decisions in private with a small group of advisors.
One official in the Berlaymont stated that “Anyone who has run a government knows that you need to bring people along — consult, make concessions," citing her problem is to be blamed on her not being a former Prime Minister.
Another official concurred that her single-mindedness was becoming a problem, expressing “She does not embody collegiality. On so many topics, commissioners discover things via the media. People feel that she’s doing her own thing — not that they’re necessarily bad — but that she does not encourage discussion or debate.”
Her statement in May at the Council of Europe meeting in Reykjavik that the EU's border agency, Frontex, would collaborate with the UK on migration was another cause of annoyance. Von der Leyen negotiated the agreement alone, leaving her commissioners and other EU governments scurrying for specifics.
With von der Leyen's future unknown, she has been connected to the position of NATO Secretary-General, which is set to become available in October 2024.
Read more: Ursula Von Der Leyen fit to lead NATO?: The Spectator
Other sources say Von der Leyen has been unable to understand her commissioners and formulate a coherent team.
Alberto Alemanno, Jean Monnet professor in EU law at HEC Paris believes the commissioners " have never been united behind a set of values," adding that “Perhaps she has been running this Commission as a technocrat coming from Germany surrounded by German advisors."
Some believe that whoever succeeds her will face mounting challenges, particularly the next EU budget discussions and Ukraine's possible entry into the EU.
One person in the EPP anonymously stated that “We don’t know what the hell is going to happen...and we need to know.”
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