Major Controversies Surrounding Ursula von der Leyen: A Detailed Timeline
A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Ursula von der Leyen.
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.
July 2009: Controversial Statement on Child Pornography
In July 2009, Ursula von der Leyen made a controversial statement regarding the location of servers hosting child pornography, inaccurately claiming it was legal in some African and Indian regions. She later expressed regret for citing the inaccurate study.
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.
December 2014: Fingerprint Cloned by Hacker
In December 2014, Ursula von der Leyen's fingerprint was cloned by a German hacker using commercially available software and photographs.
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.
2015: Plagiarism Allegations
In 2015, researchers at VroniPlag Wiki reviewed Ursula von der Leyen's 1991 doctoral dissertation and alleged plagiarism.
March 2016: Investigation Concluded
In March 2016, the Hannover Medical School concluded an investigation into Ursula von der Leyen's doctoral dissertation, finding plagiarism but no intention to deceive.
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.
2016: Controversy over Refusal to Wear Hijab in Saudi Arabia
In 2016, Ursula von der Leyen caused controversy after she refused to wear a hijab during a visit to Saudi Arabia, stating her annoyance at women being pushed into wearing the abaya. She also supported close security cooperation with Saudi Arabia.
2017: Remarks on Polish Politics
In 2017, Ursula von der Leyen's remarks about supporting "healthy democratic resistance of the younger generation" in Poland were interpreted as instigating opposition against the PiS government, leading to diplomatic tensions.
2018: Investigation into Contract Awards
Since 2018 an investigative committee organised by Germany's Federal Audit Office has been looking into how contracts worth tens of millions of euros were awarded to external consultancy firms.
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".
December 2019: Accusations Against German Defence Ministry
In December 2019, German parliamentarians accused the German Defence Ministry of obstructing an investigation into consultant contracts by deleting data from Ursula von der Leyen's phone when she was Minister of Defence, citing security reasons.
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.
April 2021: Controversy Over Vaccine Deal Correspondence
In April 2021, The New York Times reported that Ursula von der Leyen exchanged electronic correspondence with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla about COVID-19 vaccine sales to the EU. The European Ombudsman later accused von der Leyen of "maladministration" for not disclosing the correspondence and claiming the messages disappeared.
December 2021: Concern Over Vaccination Rates and Discussion of Mandatory Vaccinations
In December 2021, Ursula von der Leyen expressed concern over low vaccination rates in Europe and suggested that EU nations should consider making COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory.
July 2022: Agreement with Azerbaijan on Energy Supply
On July 18, 2022, Ursula von der Leyen called Azerbaijan a reliable partner for energy supply and signed an agreement intended to diversify gas supplies amidst the Russian-Ukraine war, which sparked controversy due to Azerbaijan's subsequent attacks on Armenia.
October 2023: Condemnation of Hamas Attack on Israel
During the October 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Ursula von der Leyen condemned the Hamas attack on Israel, calling it "terrorism in its most despicable form" and affirmed Israel's right to self-defense. She also announced a tripling of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
October 2023: Condemnation of Azerbaijan's Military Operation
In October 2023, Ursula von der Leyen condemned "the military operation by Azerbaijan against the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh and reaffirmed the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia".
April 2024: Praise for the EU Asylum and Migration Pact
In April 2024, Ursula von der Leyen praised the EU Asylum and Migration Pact as a "huge achievement for Europe," highlighting its provisions for relocating migrants and instituting a mandatory solidarity mechanism, despite criticisms regarding its approach to illegal immigration.
May 2024: Lawyer Denied Access to EPPO Case File
In early May 2024, Diane Protat, a lawyer, was denied access to the EPPO's case file regarding a complaint against Ursula von der Leyen. Later, Hungary and Poland joined the lawsuit, and there were calls for von der Leyen's candidacy for President of the European Commission to be withdrawn.
2024: EPPO Takes Over "Pfizergate" Investigation
In 2024, the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) took over the investigation into the "Pfizergate" scandal from Belgian authorities, involving allegations of interference, destruction of SMS, corruption, and conflict of interest.
