#base #stormy #weather #ahead #election
Updated 20.50 | Published 20.34
share-arrowDela
unsaveSpara
expand-left
full screen EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Archive image. Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP/TT
The ground is shaking under the EU’s German Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Close to the EU elections, she is criticized for appointing compatriots to important positions and vaccine orders during the pandemic.
Four heavyweight commissioners, including France’s Thierry Breton and Luxembourg’s Nicolas Schmit, have called for a discussion on the appointment of German MEP Markus Pieper as the EU’s special envoy for small and medium-sized enterprises. The demand is a reaction to accusations that Pieper got the job to guarantee the Germans of the Christian Democrats continued support for von der Leyen.
Criticism is also raised against the fact that von der Leyen’s powerful chief of staff, Björn Seibert, will act as her campaign manager for the EU elections on June 6-9 from Monday.
Admittedly, Seibert immediately leaves his current duties. The idea is, however, that he will then return directly after the election – although it will probably take until this autumn before von der Leyen can formally be re-elected.
von der Leyen – who is still the favorite to continue in his post for another five years – is also criticized for vaccine orders during the corona pandemic. Possible irregularities in von der Leyen’s contacts with the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer are currently being investigated by the EU’s special corruption prosecutor Eppo, according to the news site Politico Europe.
