Ursula von der Leyen Faces Mounting Pressure to Announce Candidacy for Second Term

Pressure is mounting on Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission President, to declare whether she will seek a second term.

During a luncheon with EU ambassadors, multiple inquiries about her reelection plans were directed toward her, but she remained non-committal.

With Charles Michel, the European Council President, announcing his candidacy as an EU lawmaker, von der Leyen is facing increased calls to clarify her stance, particularly from her own European People’s Party (EPP).

Speculation arose after her appearance at a Renew Europe group conference, as actions like this could signal campaign behavior.

The EPP has set a deadline of February 21 for potential lead candidates to state their intentions before its upcoming congress in March. Manfred Weber, the chairman of the EPP, mentioned von der Leyen as a prime candidate.

Legally, von der Leyen isn't obligated to declare her intentions yet. The system, though contested by EU leaders, generally favors the lead candidate from the most successful party in the European parliamentary elections to head the EU Commission.

Von der Leyen, who ascended to her position without contesting the 2019 elections, has faced criticism for a perceived lack of democratic legitimacy.

Internally, Commission employees are eager to know her decision, as the current uncertainty affects the institution. Should von der Leyen decide to run, she wouldn't need to resign or take a leave of absence due to rules allowing commissioners to campaign while serving.

However, she would be scrutinized to ensure a clear separation between her duties and campaign activities, using no Commission resources for the latter.