ADVERTISEMENT

More about this topic

Now playing Next

EU elections: Christian Democrats lead the polls in Germany

Only one of Germany's three governing parties has seen its numbers improve in Euronews's exclusive voter intention tracking poll.

01/05/2024

Now playing Next

Analysis: Von der Leyen's overture to Meloni could totally backfire

Ursula von der Leyen has given her strongest indication yet that she would be willing to work with Giorgia Meloni's hard-right party after the upcoming elections to the European Parliament.

30/04/2024

Now playing Next

Three key moments from the first debate with lead EU candidates

The lead candidates in the European elections faced off against each other in the first debate of the race, haggling over the Green Deal, the Israel-Hamas war, irregular migration, artificial intelligence and TikTok, among others.

29/04/2024

Now playing Next

All eyes on Ursula von der Leyen as EU candidates get ready to debate

The top contenders to preside over the European Commission are on Monday scheduled to face off against the incumbent – and frontrunner.

29/04/2024

ADVERTISEMENT

Now playing Next

If not Ursula, then who? Seven in the wings for Commission top job

The Commission chief post will be put up for grabs after the EU elections. Who might be the other options to Ursula von der Leyen?

18/04/2024

Now playing Next

'You are a criminal!' Heckler blasts von der Leyen's stance on Israel

A speech by Ursula von der Leyen was briefly interrupted on Wednesday by a man who accused her of being a "criminal" over her support for Israel.

17/04/2024

Now playing Next

Von der Leyen staffing turbulence plays into EU elections

A human resource crisis at the Commission comes ahead of a sensitive changing of the guard in Brussels.

16/04/2024

Now playing Next

Pieper quits, casting shade on von der Leyen appointment process

Markus Pieper won’t be starting work at the European Commission, after his recruitment drew censure from MEPs.

16/04/2024

Now playing Next

'Major escalation': EU leaders rally against Iran's attack on Israel

European capitals are calling for restraint and trying to de-escalate the conflict, following Tehran's overnight strikes on Israel.

14/04/2024

Now playing Next

Von der Leyen: Too right for the left and too left for the right?

Ursula von der Leyen has presided over the most transformative years of the European Union in recent memory. But after weathering a string of extraordinary crises, her ideology might have gotten lost along the way.

13/04/2024

Now playing Next

MEPs vote to rescind von der Leyen’s controversial SME envoy pick

Lawmakers called 382-144 to reverse the decision to appoint Markus Pieper in a suspected case of political favouritism.

11/04/2024

Now playing Next

6 things you should know about von der Leyen's SME envoy scandal

The controversial hire of an MEP from EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s own party to a lucrative official post has drawn backlash from lawmakers, activists and her own lieutenants.

10/04/2024

Now playing Next

Commissioner mutiny grows over von der Leyen's controversial hire

Four senior lieutenants aren't happy on hearing that fellow CDU member Markus Pieper starts his taxpayer-funded duties next week

09/04/2024

Now playing Next

European defence spending needs to speed up, says Von der Leyen

Europe is being targeted both from within and from outside, Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday.

07/04/2024

Now playing Next

Von der Leyen's pick for campaign manager raises eyebrows

Ursula von der Leyen has selected her current chief of staff to run her campaign ahead of the elections to the European Parliament.

05/04/2024

Now playing Next

Exclusive: Von der Leyen cronyism row intensifies with NGO call

NGOs join lawmakers and senior commission officials in questioning the decision to hand a lucrative official role to a political ally.

05/04/2024

Now playing Next

Von der Leyen's SME Envoy appointment disputed

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is embroiled in a row over favouritism, after appointing German MEP Markus Pieper as Envoy for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, a five-year post with a salary of nearly 17,000 euros a month.

05/04/2024

Now playing Next

Exclusive: Commission vanguard turn on von der Leyen envoy pick

The controversial decision to hire Germany’s Markus Pieper may need a second look, fellow Commissioners suggest.

03/04/2024

Now playing Next

Von der Leyen’s executive not winning European hearts and minds: Poll

The European Commission’s approval rating is deeply split in the EU and alarmingly low in a handful of member states, new polling shows, raising questions over Ursula von der Leyen’s bid for a second term at the executive’s helm.

03/04/2024

Now playing Next

Von der Leyen’s Defence Union dream won’t come easy – or cheap

Strengthening Europe's military may be an imperative in the coming years – but EU ambitions face multiple legal, political and financial hurdles.

01/04/2024