Participants of next Monday's informal EU summit do not want to see the European Commission President make an appearance.

A large majority of the 27 EU heads of state and government do not want European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to attend all the talks at Monday’s extraordinary summit in Brussels, German newspaper Die Welt reports. The German Christian Democrat is an „ex officio” member of the European Council and therefore has the right to be present. However, many participants demanded that she should leave the room when it comes to her current position. The informal dinner will focus on the new EU leadership.

In response to a question from the newspaper, the European Commission made it clear that Ursula von der Leyen would attend the entire programme.

This attitude could lead to controversy. Additionally, some heads of state and government are likely to demand that the Social Democrats’ top candidate for the European elections, Nicolas Schmit of Luxembourg, join them in presenting their programme.

Ursula von der Leyen has become a highly divisive figure at the end of her term, as she is the architect of the European Green Deal, which forces member states to implement expensive climate protection measures that burden citizens. Her dubious dealings in the procurement of coronavirus vaccines and her refusal to disclose her communications with the pharmaceutical industry have made her rather vulnerable. It is therefore uncertain whether she can remain in office despite the European People’s Party’s resounding success in the EU elections. The new Commission President is likely to come from within the EPP. The question is whether the heads of state and government will allow Ms von der Leyen a second mandate.

Ursula von der Leyen has already lost the support of Germany. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Spain’s left-wing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez are the main negotiators for the Social Democrats, and they would obviously like to place someone from their own ranks into the European Commission presidency. This is why the EPP has entered the negotiations with Polish left-wing Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the lead. For months now, the Greek politician has been rumoured to have ambitions to become Commission President, according to the German Junge Freiheit newspaper.