Career Timeline of Ursula von der Leyen: Major Achievements and Milestones
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Ursula von der Leyen made an impact.
Ursula von der Leyen is a German politician currently serving as the 13th president of the European Commission, a position she has held since 2019. Prior to this, she served in the German federal government from 2005 to 2019 under Angela Merkel, including as Federal Minister of Defence. Von der Leyen is a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the European People's Party (EPP). In 2024, she was elected as the EPP's Spitzenkandidat for the European Parliament elections and subsequently re-elected to head the Commission in July 2024.
1986: Gerhard Schroder Represented Same Constituency
Gerhard Schroder represented the same constituency of Lehrte from 1986 to 1998.
1987: Graduated from Hannover Medical School
In 1987, Ursula von der Leyen graduated from the Hannover Medical School and acquired her medical licence, specializing in women's health.
1987: Acquired Medical License
In 1987, Ursula von der Leyen obtained her medical license from Hanover Medical School.
1988: Assistant Physician
In 1988, Ursula von der Leyen began working as an assistant physician at the Women's Clinic of the Hannover Medical School.
1991: Doctor of Medicine Graduation
In 1991, Ursula Von der Leyen completed her doctoral studies, defended her thesis and graduated as a Doctor of Medicine.
1996: Active in Local Politics
In 1996, Ursula von der Leyen became active in local politics in Lower Saxony.
1998: Taught at Hanover Medical School
From 1998, Ursula von der Leyen taught at the Department of Epidemiology, Social Medicine and Health System Research at the Hanover Medical School.
1998: Gerhard Schroder Represented Same Constituency
Gerhard Schroder represented the same constituency of Lehrte from 1986 to 1998.
2001: Earned Master of Public Health Degree
In 2001, Ursula von der Leyen earned a Master of Public Health degree at the Hanover Medical School.
2002: End Teaching at Hanover Medical School
Von der Leyen's time teaching at the Department of Epidemiology, Social Medicine and Health System Research at the Hanover Medical School ended in 2002.
2003: Cabinet Minister in Lower Saxony
In 2003, Ursula von der Leyen became a cabinet minister in the state government of Lower Saxony.
2003: Elected to Parliament of Lower Saxony
In 2003, Ursula von der Leyen was elected to the Parliament of Lower Saxony and from 2003 to 2005 she was a minister in the state government.
2003: Part of Herzog Commission
In 2003, Ursula von der Leyen was part of a group assigned by Angela Merkel to draft alternative proposals for social welfare reform, known as the Herzog Commission.
2005: Covered Family and Social Security Portfolio
Ahead of the 2005 federal elections, Angela Merkel chose Ursula von der Leyen to cover the family and social security portfolio in her shadow cabinet.
2005: Appointment as Federal Minister and Introduction of Child Advancement Act
In 2005, Ursula von der Leyen assumed office as Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. During this year, she introduced the Child Advancement Act, reserving 4.3 billion euros for childcare, amidst protests from conservative factions.
2005: End of Service as a Cabinet Minister
In 2005, Ursula von der Leyen concluded her service as a cabinet minister in the state government of Lower Saxony.
2005: Joined German Federal Government
In 2005, Ursula von der Leyen entered the German federal government, serving in Angela Merkel's cabinet.
2005: Joined Federal Cabinet
In 2005, Ursula von der Leyen joined the federal cabinet as Minister for Family Affairs and Youth.
2005: End of Tenure as Minister in State Government
In 2005, Ursula von der Leyen's tenure as a minister in the state government of Lower Saxony concluded.
2005: Merkel became chancellor
Ursula von der Leyen remained with Merkel since she became chancellor in 2005 until her 2019 appointment as the president of the European Commission
November 2009: Appointed Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs
On 30 November 2009, Ursula von der Leyen succeeded Franz Josef Jung as Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs.
2009: Minister for Labour and Social Affairs
In 2009, Ursula von der Leyen became Minister for Labour and Social Affairs.
November 2010: Elected as Deputy of CDU Chairwoman Merkel
In November 2010, Ursula von der Leyen was elected as one of four deputies of CDU chairwoman Merkel with 85% of the votes.
2010: Herzog Commission
In 2010, Herzog Commission recommended a comprehensive package of reform proposals including decoupling health and nursing care premiums from people's earnings.
2010: Deputy Leader of the CDU
In 2010, Ursula von der Leyen became a deputy leader of the CDU.
2010: Preferred Candidate for President of Germany
In 2010, Ursula von der Leyen was Merkel's preferred candidate for President of Germany, but her nomination was blocked.
2010: Considered for President of Germany
In 2010, Ursula von der Leyen was initially considered the front-runner to be nominated by the ruling CDU/CSU parties for election as President of Germany, but Christian Wulff was eventually chosen.
2011: Preference for United States of Europe
In a 2011 interview, Ursula von der Leyen expressed her preference for a "united states of Europe", run like federal states, agreeing on core issues like finance, tax, and economic politics.
2012: Re-elected as Deputy of CDU Chairwoman Merkel
In 2012, Ursula von der Leyen was re-elected as one of Merkel's deputies as CDU chairwoman, receiving 69% of the votes.
December 2013: Appointed as Germany's First Female Defence Minister
In December 2013, Ursula von der Leyen was appointed by Merkel as Germany's first female defence minister, seen as a move to reinvigorate the ministry.
2013: Minister of Defence
In 2013, Ursula von der Leyen became Minister of Defence, the first woman to hold the position in Germany.
2013: Agreement with the Philippines
In 2013, Ursula von der Leyen concluded an agreement with the Government of the Philippines aimed at helping Filipino health care professionals gain employment in Germany with same employment terms as German counterparts.
2013: Led CDU/CSU Delegation
In 2013, Ursula von der Leyen led the CDU/CSU delegation in the labour policy working group during government formation negotiations.
2013: Campaign for Female Quota on Company Boards
In 2013, Ursula von der Leyen unsuccessfully campaigned for a statutory quota for female participation in the supervisory boards of companies in Germany. The proposal required company boards to be at least 20% female by 2018, rising to 40% by 2023.
2013: Support for Equal Adoption Rights
In 2013, when the Federal Constitutional Court ruled in favor of tax equality for same-sex couples, Ursula von der Leyen voiced her support for equal adoption rights, citing research indicating no difference in outcomes for children raised in same-sex partnerships.
June 2014: Introduced Plan to Attract Bundeswehr Recruits
In June 2014, Ursula von der Leyen introduced a €100 million plan to make the Bundeswehr more attractive to recruits, including offering crèches and hardship allowances.
August 2014: Categorized Funding Priorities
In August 2014, Ursula von der Leyen categorized sensor and cryptotechnology as "vital to national interests" in a debate over funding priorities, leading to disagreement.
September 2014: Decision to Send Arms to Kurdish and Iraqi Forces
In September 2014, Ursula von der Leyen made the decision to send arms to Kurdish and Iraqi security forces, breaking a longstanding taboo on Germany's dispatching of weapons to a conflict zone. This marked a shift towards a more assertive German foreign policy.
October 2014: Pledged to Get a Grip on Military Equipment Budget
In October 2014, Ursula von der Leyen pledged to get a grip on Germany's military equipment budget after a report on repeated failures in controlling suppliers, costs and delivery deadlines.
December 2014: Elected as Member of CDU Executive Board
In December 2014, Ursula von der Leyen was elected as a member of the CDU executive board, receiving 70.5% of the votes.
2014: Statements on Europe-Russia Relationship and Annexation of Crimea
In 2014, during the annexation of Crimea, Ursula von der Leyen argued for the importance of the business relationship between Europe and Russia and called for sanctions to influence Russian oligarchs and businesses. She also advocated for increased NATO backing of the Baltic states.
2014: Resupply of Kurdish Peshmerga fighters
In the summer of 2014, she was instrumental in Germany's decision to resupply the Kurdish Peshmerga fighters with lethal assistance.
2014: Improved Dutch-German cooperation
Since 2014 two of the three Royal Netherlands Army Brigades are under German Command.
January 2015: Criticized Airbus over Delays in A400M Delivery
In January 2015, Ursula von der Leyen publicly criticized Airbus over delays in the delivery of A400M military transport planes, complaining about product quality.
May 2015: Expressed Support for Indian Submarine Project
During her May 2015 visit to India, Ursula von der Leyen expressed support for a project initiated by the Indian government to build six German TKMS diesel-electric submarines.
May 2015: Government Approved Increase in Defence Spending
In May 2015, the German government approved a 6.2% increase in defense spending over five years, allowing the Ministry of Defense to modernize the army.
August 2015: Criticism of Turkish President
Following criticism from German officials of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's escalation of the Kurdish–Turkish conflict in August 2015, von der Leyen decided to let Germany's three-year Patriot missile batteries mission to southern Turkey lapse in January 2016 instead of seeking parliamentary approval to extend it.
September 2015: Criticized Hungary's Handling of Asylum Seekers
In September 2015, Ursula von der Leyen publicly criticized the Hungarian government's use of water cannons and tear gas against asylum seekers at the Hungarian-Serbian border.
September 2015: Signalled Openness to Delaying Troop Withdrawal from Afghanistan
In September 2015, Ursula von der Leyen signalled that she was open to delaying the withdrawal of 850 German soldiers from Afghanistan beyond 2016 after the Taliban's seizure of Kunduz.
February 2016: Announced Dutch-German Military Cooperation
In February 2016, it was announced that the Seebatallion of the German Navy would start to operate under Royal Dutch Navy command, seen as an example for setting up a European defence union.
April 2016: Commitment to Incirlik Air Base
By April 2016, under Ursula von der Leyen's leadership, the German Federal Armed Forces announced they would commit 65 million Euro to establish a permanent presence at Incirlik Air Base.
July 2016: Proposal to Allow Non-German EU Nationals to Join Bundeswehr Met with Opposition
In July 2016, Ursula von der Leyen's proposal to allow non-German EU nationals to join the Bundeswehr was met with strong opposition.
August 2016: Joined the World Economic Forum Board of Trustees
In August 2016, Ursula von der Leyen joined the World Economic Forum board of trustees.
September 2016: Chaired EPP Defence Ministers Meeting
In September 2016, Ursula von der Leyen chaired the EPP Defence Ministers Meeting.
2016: Sought Damages for A400M Delivery Delays
In 2016, Ursula von der Leyen asked for an additional 12.7 million euros in damages for delays in the delivery of a fourth A400M plane.
2016: Reelected as Member of CDU Executive Board
In 2016, Ursula von der Leyen was reelected as a member of the CDU executive board, receiving 72.4% of the votes.
2016: Brexit Comments
In 2016, following the European Union membership referendum in the United Kingdom, Ursula von der Leyen argued that the UK had "paralysed" European efforts to integrate security policy and described Brexit as "a burst bubble of hollow promises".
2016: Troop withdrawal from Afghanistan
In September 2015, Ursula von der Leyen signalled that she was open to delaying the withdrawal of 850 German soldiers from Afghanistan beyond 2016 after the Taliban's seizure of Kunduz.
2016: Parliament Approved Sending Soldiers to Mali
In early 2016, under Ursula von der Leyen's leadership, the German parliament approved plans to send up to 650 soldiers to Mali for the U.N. peacekeeping mission MINUSMA.
February 2017: Bundeswehr to Play Greater Role as "Anchor Army"
According to a policy dictated by von der Leyen in February 2017, the Bundeswehr is to play a greater role as an "anchor army" for smaller NATO states.
February 2017: Increase in Bundeswehr Professional Soldiers
In February 2017, Ursula von der Leyen announced that the number of Bundeswehr professional soldiers would increase from 178,000 to 198,000 by 2024.
February 2017: Integration of Czech and Romanian Brigades into German Divisions
In February 2017, it was announced that the Czech Republic's 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade and Romania's 81st Mechanized Brigade would be integrated into Germany's divisions.
April 2017: Fired Army Training Commander
In April 2017, Ursula von der Leyen fired the army's training commander, Major General Walter Spindler, after failures to properly investigate reports of hazing and bullying.
June 2017: Vote in Favor of Same-Sex Marriage
In June 2017, Ursula von der Leyen voted in favor of Germany's introduction of same-sex marriage, going against the majority of her parliamentary group.
2018: Described as Favourite to Succeed Stoltenberg
From 2018 until her nomination as European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen was described as the favourite to succeed Jens Stoltenberg as Secretary General of NATO.
2018: Reelected as Member of CDU Executive Board
In 2018, Ursula von der Leyen was reelected as a member of the CDU executive board, receiving 57.47% of the votes.
July 2019: Nomination and Approval as President of the European Commission
In July 2019, Ursula von der Leyen was nominated by the European Council and subsequently approved by the European Parliament as President of the European Commission, marking her as the first woman and the first German since Walter Hallstein to hold the office. Germany abstained from the vote.
July 2019: Resignation from German Bundestag
In July 2019, after being nominated as a candidate for Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen resigned from her seat in the German Bundestag to facilitate her transition into the new role. She was provided with resources to ensure a smooth transition.
July 2019: Proposed Candidate for European Commission President
On 2 July 2019, Ursula von der Leyen was proposed by the European Council as the candidate for president of the European Commission.
September 2019: Unveiling of the New EU Commission Structure
In September 2019, Ursula von der Leyen revealed the proposed structure of the new EU Commission, which she described as "geopolitical". The structure included renaming posts and the creation of a controversial portfolio for "Protecting our European Way of Life".
October 2019: Brexit Deadline Extension
In October 2019, shortly after being elected as President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU should extend the Brexit deadline.
November 2019: Call for Increased Foreign Policy Budget Spending
In November 2019, at the Paris Peace Forum, Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the need for stable and responsible leadership in Europe and advocated for a one-third increase in the bloc's foreign policy budget spending.
2019: Promoted Government Decisions on Arms Exports
In 2019, Ursula von der Leyen also promoted the German government's decisions on arms exports to Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
2019: President of the European Commission
In 2019, Ursula von der Leyen became the 13th president of the European Commission, a role she has held since.
2019: Left Office
In 2019, Ursula von der Leyen left office as Minister of Defence, concluding her continuous service in Merkel's cabinet.
2019: Operational Dutch-German military
The German 414 Tank Battalion was integrated into the Dutch 43rd Mechanized Brigade which became operational at the end of 2019.
2019: Appointment as President of the European Commission
Until her 2019 appointment as the president of the European Commission, she was the only minister to remain with Merkel since she became chancellor in 2005.
2019: Ursula von der Leyen's first Election
Ursula von der Leyen was first elected to the European Commission in 2019.
April 2022: Visit to Kyiv and Support for Ukraine's EU Accession
In April 2022, Ursula von der Leyen traveled to Kyiv amidst the Russian invasion of Ukraine to support Volodymyr Zelenskyy and vowed to work towards Ukraine's accession to the EU, aiming to present the application to the council that summer.
May 2022: Announcement of EU's Ban on Russian Oil Imports
On May 4, 2022, Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Union would seek to ban all imports of Russian crude oil and petroleum products to become independent from Russian energy.
August 2022: Support for EU Emission Trading System
In August 2022, Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU emission trading system is necessary to reduce CO2 emissions.
November 2022: Announced Tribunal for Russian Federation
In November 2022, Ursula von der Leyen announced that her commission would work to establish an International Criminal Tribunal for the Russian Federation.
April 2023: Visit to China and raising human rights issues
In April 2023, Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron raised concerns about human rights in China during their visit, amid growing criticism of China's repression of ethnic minorities and political dissidents, particularly in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
May 2023: Criticism of GDP-Based Economy
In May 2023, at the Beyond Growth conference, Ursula von der Leyen critiqued the GDP-based economy, stating that a fossil fuel-centered growth model is obsolete and economic growth is not an end in itself.
September 2023: Meeting with UAE President on Sanctioned Goods
In September 2023, Ursula von der Leyen met with UAE President Mohammad bin Zayed to discuss the export of sanctioned goods to Russia. She urged the UAE to be more cooperative in preventing the country from being a mediator supplying sanctioned goods to Russia.
2023: Potential NATO Secretary General
In 2023, Ursula von der Leyen was again regarded as the favourite to take the role of NATO secretary general.
March 2024: Confirmation as EPP Candidate
In March 2024, Ursula von der Leyen was confirmed once again as the EPP's candidate for the Presidency of the European Commission, with opinion polls indicating a high likelihood of her re-election.
March 2024: EPP Elected von der Leyen as Spitzenkandidat
On 7 March 2024, the EPP elected Ursula von der Leyen as its Spitzenkandidat to lead the campaign for the 2024 European Parliament elections.
June 2024: Nomination for Second Term
In June 2024, Ursula von der Leyen was nominated by the European Council for a second term as President of the European Commission. This nomination marked a significant milestone in her career, setting the stage for a potential five more years in office.
July 2024: Re-election as President of the European Commission
In July 2024, Ursula von der Leyen was re-elected as President of the European Commission for a second five-year term. She secured 401 votes in a secret ballot among MEPs at the European Parliament, solidifying her position as a key figure in European politics.
July 2024: Re-elected to Head European Commission
In July 2024, Ursula von der Leyen was re-elected to head the European Commission.
2024: Advocacy for Nuclear Power
In 2024, Ursula von der Leyen became a strong advocate for nuclear power, aligning herself with her party, CDU, on this energy policy.
2024: Increase in Bundeswehr Professional Soldiers
In February 2017, Ursula von der Leyen announced that the number of Bundeswehr professional soldiers would increase from 178,000 to 198,000 by 2024.
February 2025: Announcement of Clean Industrial Deal
In February 2025, the European Commission, under Ursula von der Leyen, announced the Clean Industrial Deal, a package of measures backed by 100 billion euros to support EU-made clean manufacturing. This initiative aimed to bolster the EU's green economy.
March 2025: Announcement of "ReArm Europe" Defence Investment Plan
In March 2025, Ursula von der Leyen announced the EU's €800 billion "ReArm Europe" defence investment plan. She also suggested easing fiscal rules to facilitate increased defense spending by member states, marking a significant shift in European defense policy.
2050: EU Climate Neutral Goal
In 2021, critics blamed the surge in energy prices on the European Commission's Green Deal, which aims to make the EU climate neutral by 2050.
