The MEP believes that Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s approach will change after the upcoming summer European elections, stating that it will be “same name, different person.” MEP Petri Sarvamaa, part of the coalition, believes that the European Union has wasted the last five years under the current Commission leadership, failing to strengthen the internal market or competitiveness.
Von der Leyen, a member of the center-right EPP party, is the EPP’s candidate for the next Commission leadership after the elections. Sarvamaa criticizes von der Leyen for being inexperienced when she took office, allowing others to seize power within the Commission. He particularly points to the Green Deal program, which he believes was poorly managed and dominated by one political area.
Despite Sarvamaa’s criticisms, he acknowledges that a more balanced approach seems to be emerging under von der Leyen’s recent comments. He predicts that the next five years will bring a different leadership style from the same person. Another coalition MEP, Henna Virkkunen, disagrees with Sarvamaa, praising von der Leyen’s handling of crises such as the corona pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
The European Parliament and Commission have five-year terms, with discussions about the direction and leadership of the EU ongoing. The coalition members in Strasbourg recently discussed these issues, with differing opinions on von der Leyen’s effectiveness and the future direction of the EU.