Former European council president Charles Michel attacked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, accusing her of running an “authoritarian” leadership, thus upsetting the European Union’s institutional balance.
In an interview with Brussels Times, Michel alleged that von der Leyen had systematically resisted co-operation between EU institutions, weakening coordination at the top of the Union.
He claimed the EC had overstepped its Treaty mandate, sidelining the Council and concentrating power in a way that undermines the bloc’s governance.
“I can tell you: never in the past had I faced this level of difficulty in terms of collaboration with a colleague. Never,” he said.
“It’s not about personality. It’s about the substance of the European project.”
He also insisted that today European Commissioners have “no role”, which can be attributed to von der Leyen’s leadership.
His remarks echo criticism that surfaced following the European elections, when some observers questioned the political strength of von der Leyen’s current EC team.
Michel also pointed to what he sees as policy failures: “She is supposed to defend the single market. Nothing has been done. She is supposed to advance financial markets. Nothing has been done,” he said.
His interview comes as von der Leyen prepares to unveil a new single market “roadmap”, which could allow groups of member states to move forward without unanimity, thus feeding the critics of a two-tier system in Europe.
During his tenure as Council president, Michel had a terrible relationship with the EC President, with the two consistently disagreeing on international and EU affairs.
