BRUSSELS — On Monday, the European Commission refuted allegations that it attempted to obscure the health status of its president, Ursula von der Leyen, following her hospitalization due to serious pneumonia.
At the age of 66, von der Leyen stands out as the most prominent political leader within the European Union. She commenced her second five-year term as president of the commission in September with a visit to Ukraine, followed by a significant trade meeting in South America.
On January 3, the commission announced that von der Leyen was suffering from “severe pneumonia,” leading to the cancellation of her scheduled appointments over the next two weeks. Her planned engagements in Lisbon and Poland, where Poland has recently assumed the rotating EU presidency, were also scrapped.
While details surrounding her health and the circumstances of her illness were not disclosed, reports from the German news agency dpa later confirmed her hospitalization. This incident prompted concerns regarding the transparency policies of the EU’s powerful executive body.
In response to inquiries from journalists about the lack of information regarding her hospitalization, commission spokesperson Paula Pinho stated that the necessary information about von der Leyen’s severe health was communicated effectively. She explained that von der Leyen had been addressing serious illness from her home in Hannover, Germany.
Pinho added that while the media was informed that von der Leyen had canceled her commitments at the beginning of January, she remained engaged in important phone discussions, including with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and was still conducting official commission duties.
“We provided you with critical details regarding her health status, including the severity of her illness,” Pinho maintained, without addressing the omission of specific information about her hospitalization. “Her capability to function effectively was never in doubt.”
Von der Leyen remained hospitalized for eight days, from January 2 to January 10. Pinho noted that the president is currently recuperating well and is expected to return to her office in Brussels, where she maintains a small residence, by the end of this week.
A former German defense minister, she typically adheres to an extensive travel agenda. Upcoming engagements include attending a session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, next week, as well as participating in the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Since taking office in 2019, von der Leyen has been instrumental in the EU’s efforts to secure COVID-19 vaccinations and has advocated strongly for Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia. In light of weakened governments in both France and Germany, she has aimed to exert a more significant influence over the affairs of the 27-nation bloc.
