EU chief ‘walking a tightrope’ after four years acting as ‘Europe’s empress’

Ursula von der Leyen will be brought crashing back down to Earth even if she does manage to secure another term as President of the European Commission after spent her first four years acing as “Europe’s Empress”, an MEP has warned.

Meanwhile a Brussels-based journalist has said the former German defence minister’s probable reappointment would indicate that it was “business as usual” in Brussels – regardless of the results of the European Parliamentary elections earlier this month.

Leaders of several EU countries were on Monday unable to reach a final agreement on candidates for the bloc’s top jobs on Monday.

However, several praised the record of 65-year-old Ms von der Leyen, and she appears on track to secure their endorsement later this month for a second term in office.

Michiel Hoogeveen, a Dutch politician who represents the right-wing JA21 party, told Express.co.uk: “Von der Leyen has proven to be a controversial figure. Overstepping and overstretching her mandate too often, followed by potential scandals. So I can imagine not all top leaders are very enthusiastic with her return.

“Also, it’s far from certain whether von der Leyen will find a majority in the newly elected European Parliament. So that is probably also taken into account.”

If Ms von der Leyen wanted to stay in post she would need the support of the European Parliament’s Christian Democrats, socialists and liberals, which even then would leave her with “not a lot of margin”, Mr Hoogeveen continued.

He explained: “So in order to get a safe margin, she needs to reach out to either the Greens or the conservatives. But if she goes one way, she will potentially lose support from the other side. So in short, there is quite a puzzle for her. If I would be the one deciding, I would just come with a new candidate.”

Asked whether Ms von der Leyen was now a busted flush, Mr Hoogeveen said: “It will be difficult. But knowing Brussels, they will find a loophole to find her endorsement by making deals in the background. Like they did last time.

“She should do whatever the Council (member states) tell her. Not, like in last mandate, when she was operating as a European Empress.

“I think things will definitely change. I rather not see her coming back. But if she comes back, she needs to backtrack on the Green Deal and other of megalomaniac projects. But again, she will then lose the Greens, Socialists and possibly liberals.

“If she doesn’t, she might lose her own Christian Democrats and conservatives. So she is surely walking a tightrope.”

Pieter Cleppe, editor of BrusselsReport.eu and the former head of the Brussels office of the Open Europe think tank, told Express.co.uk Ms von der Leyen was not taking into account rising concerns across the continent, not least in relation to the bloc’s green agenda.

He explained: “It is normal that top jobs are discussed now, but it is worrying that they are not even prepared to nominate someone with an ECR background or at least a a decent, centre-right EPP politician for the job of EU Commission President.

“Former Dutch PM Jan-Peter JP Balkenende, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis or former Slovak Finance Minister Ivan Miklos come to mind. This would reflect the EP 2024 results, which is not the case with the appointment of leftists like Ursula von der Leyen or Mario Draghi.

“It still looks like the green-left von der Leyen will be reappointed. This really amounts to a total green victory.”

Referring to the results of the Europe-wide elections, Mr Cleppe said: “The EU is basically telling European voters, who punished green parties: ‘Thank you for voting, but we continue with business as usual’.

“She is very much out of touch, even if lately she has pretended to drop some of her green stances.”

Speaking after chairing an informal dinner summit in Brussels, EU Council President Charles Michel, the former Prime Minister of Belgium, who is not generally seen as particularly close to Ms von der Leyen, said: “There is no agreement tonight at this stage.”

The 27 leaders were weighing the fallout from the recent European elections and how to take those results into account as they nominate candidates for the top posts.

Mr Michel added: “This conversation was today a useful step to prepare the next European Council.

“It will be clarified next week.”

The June 6-9 elections saw the European Parliament shift to the right and dealt major blows to mainstream governing parties in Paris and Berlin.

Former Portuguese Socialist Prime Minister António Costa is frequently mentioned for Michel’s job, while Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, well known for her tough line on Russia, has been floated as the bloc’s potential top diplomat.

Under the EU’s treaties, the leaders’ choice of candidates should reflect the results of the election, sharing the posts among the winners.