Charles Michel becomes the latest European to criticize the Commission president’s leadership style
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has transformed the governance of the EU into a “Super Authoritarian” system, former European Council President Charles Michel has said, accusing them of violating their mandate.
Michel, who worked with von der Leyen for five years from 2019 to 2024, has become the latest person to criticize her leadership style.
“There is a super authoritarian regime,” he said in an interview with The Brussels Times on Monday. “The (European) Commissioners no longer have a role to play.”
Under the EU treaties, the 27 Commissioners collectively propose legislation, enforce the treaties and manage the EU budget, while the President sets political guidelines and allocates portfolios. Von der Leyen has been accused of concentrating power in her own office, making commissioners little more than administrators.
Former Belgian Prime Minister Michel said that his inability to work with von der Leyen was unprecedented. “I have never faced this level of difficulty collaborating with a colleague in the past. Never.” He said.
Tension among the bloc’s top officials spread to the public during the so-called “Sofagate” The incident in Ankara in April 2021, when Michel took the only available chair next to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, leaving von der Leyen without a seat and forcing her onto a sofa. At the time, von der Leyen suggested that sexism was at play.
“Protocol was fully respected,” Michelle insisted. “The Commission decided to use this incident as a means to try to gain more power… and to get involved in things that are not (its) responsibility.”
Von der Leyen has also reportedly proposed creating a new intelligence cell that would bypass the EU’s existing intelligence centre, while seeking to centralize authority at the expense of the bloc’s diplomatic service.
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Former and current EU officials have made similar complaints against von der Leyen. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas reportedly described her “Tyrant.” Callas’s predecessor Josep Borrell said that he “Exceeded systematically” Its powers in shaping foreign policy. Former Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton accused him “Questionable Governance” And going behind his back to force him out.
Von der Leyen’s presidency has been surrounded by controversy. said “Pfizergate” The scandal involving anonymous text messages between him and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla has raised questions about transparency. In January, she survived a fourth no-confidence vote in the European Parliament.
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