Politically and financially
The defenders of Von Der Leyen say that she did what was necessary at a time of crisis – guaranteeing doses of vaccine for 27 countries when lives were at stake.
The question is not now whether what she triggered was good or bad. Few people deny that the challenges of the vaccine agreement were enormous – both politically and financially. The member countries finally signed, but the details have never been entirely disclosed, Even at the listeners’ courtyard.
Pfizer would have increased its prices during negotiations, and the EU ended up with millions of excess doses, many of which were destroyed later. Some governments, reluctant to pay more vaccines, were then prosecuted by Pfizer in the same agreement.
Throughout all this, transparency was difficult to find. Von der Leyen herself never commented on the content of the messages. And within his own administration, no one seems to have officially asked for it.
Some believe that the criticism of Von der Leyen is exaggerated and underlines his very strong mandate in Brussels.
“Whatever her personal style or the closely controlled structure of her cabinet, she now has a political basis that no president of the previous commission has never played,” said Didier Georgakakis, French political scientist and guest professor at the College of Europe, discussing the style of leadership of Von Der Leyen. “With regard to checks and sales, the EU has one of the most advanced systems in place. There is the rule of law, confirmed by an independent court and the European Parliament.”
Politices
