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Former Council President Criticizes Von Der Leyen's Authoritarian Leadership
🇭🇺 Hungary /Elections & Politics

Former Council President Criticizes Von Der Leyen's Authoritarian Leadership

From Magyar Nemzet · (3d ago) Hungarian Critical tone

Translated from Hungarian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Former European Council President Charles Michel criticized European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's leadership style, alleging it hindered inter-institutional cooperation and centralized power.
  • Michel claimed von der Leyen's Commission overstepped its treaty-defined powers, diminishing the Council's role and creating harmful power concentration within the EU.
  • He also pointed to a lack of progress in key policy areas like single market protection and financial market development under her leadership.

Charles Michel, the former President of the European Council, has leveled sharp criticism against Ursula von der Leyen, the current President of the European Commission. Michel alleges that von der Leyen employs an authoritarian leadership style that obstructs cooperation between EU institutions, thereby weakening high-level coordination within the bloc. He contends that the Commission has exceeded its powers as defined by the treaties, sidelining the Council's role and centralizing power to a degree he deems detrimental to the EU's functioning.

I can state that I have never encountered such a level of difficulty in cooperation with a colleague. Never.

— Charles MichelFormer European Council President, describing his experience working with Ursula von der Leyen.

Michel's remarks, published in Magyar Nemzet, suggest a significant breakdown in collegiality, stating he has "never encountered such a level of difficulty in cooperation with a colleague." He frames his critique not as a personal issue but as a matter concerning the fundamental principles of the European project. His comments echo recent criticisms that have questioned the political weight of the Commission's current composition following the European elections, particularly regarding the perceived diminished role of European Commissioners.

This is not a personal issue. It is about the foundations of the European project.

— Charles MichelFormer European Council President, clarifying the basis of his criticism against the European Commission President.

The former Council President also highlighted specific policy shortcomings, noting a lack of action in protecting the single market and developing financial markets. These criticisms come at a sensitive time, as von der Leyen prepares to present a new "roadmap" for the single market, which could allow certain member states to advance without unanimous decisions. Michel's concerns align with broader anxieties about the potential emergence of a two-tiered Europe, further strained by his historically tense relationship with von der Leyen, marked by differing stances on various international and EU matters.

The protection of the single market would be its task. Nothing happened. The development of financial markets would be its task. Nothing happened.

— Charles MichelFormer European Council President, pointing out perceived policy failures under von der Leyen's leadership.
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Originally published by Magyar Nemzet in Hungarian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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