Ursula von der Leyen slips control over Europe’s fate

It is an appearance she has dominated. Ursula von der Leyen stands in front of the lectern, olive green blazer, who is sitting hair. There are no wobbles, no promises, not even if it changes from English to French, then to German. Everything seems rehearsed, every gesture, every frown, even the ironic comments that she throws on to her critics.

Ursula von der Leyen has control today. Only then does it look strong. The day on which Russian drones were shot down over Poland, says von der Leyen: “Europe is in a fight”, Europe is in a fight.

A fight for peace. About democracy. For power, values, its independence.

The Commission President names problems and suggests solutions.

She also invites a boy to parliament who was the victim of the Russian occupation of Ukraine, also his grandmother. Tells his story. Request a standing ovation from the MPs.

She also brought a fireman with her. A Greek ranger, he fought against the forest fires there. You could even see the flames from space. People like him made Europe, she says. The word “climate change” does not find any entrance throughout the speech.

It gives names such as “qualitative military act”, “Eastern Flank Watch”, “Battery Booster Package”, “New Grids Package”. She announces the summit, to Ukraine, to Gaza. Much of it is air locks.

All of this should convey: Ursula von der Leyen has everything under control. Europe may be bad, economic crisis, trade wars, loss of meaning, but the head of the Commission will judge it.

In fact, there is one thing above all about the situation of the Union: a staging of pretended size, perhaps even self -fraud.

The EU tries to judge what has failed for decades. Greater powers such as the USA, China, Russia are not crushed. To become independent of fossil energies from authoritarian states or from the technological advances from Silicon Valley. Bring European industry back to stand and their own members on track. Ursula von der Leyen may not be responsible for all of this, but whether it will lead Europe out of the crisis?

The fact is: Ursula von der Leyen speaks from a position of weakness. She spends her second term in reversing things that she led in her first term. Her critics now not only sit on the left and right edges, but also come from the middle, even from their own party. Your legislative proposals fail in parliament and advice, some even had to withdraw them. Her trade deal with Donald Trump drives European companies into the crisis. In transparency issues, step backwards follows backwards.

With her speech today, Ursula von der Leyen primarily wanted to pull the left back on her side after she got over for a year. The long-awaited combustion engine failed. But announcements for a social Europe. And above all, clear words about Gaza, after such a long time, she had just punished one of her commissioners. Even if she manages to talk about Gaza for five minutes and only mention “Israel” once, even if the word “genocide” does not appear with her.

Ursula von der Leyen wants to suspend the association agreement with Israel for the time being. She even announces sanctions against “extremist ministers” and “violent settlers”. She leaves open whether she also assesses Netanyahu as extremist.

When Ursula von der Leyen concludes with her speech, long applause follows. Today, it seems, it has left the most MPs. But today it was all about rhetoric. Ursula von der Leyen may master the stage perfectly, but control over Europe’s fate slips away.